TREATISE 


DOMESTIC     ECONOMY, 


FOB  THE    USE   OF 


YOUNG  LADIES  AT  HOME 


A  T  SCHOOL 


BY  MISS  CATHERINE   E.  BEECHER 


REVISED    EDITION, 
TIOKS    AND    ILLUSTRATIVE    ENGRAVINGS 


YORK: 

HARPER    &    BROTHERS,   PUBLISHERS 
129    &   331   PEARL    STREET. 

FRANKLIN    SQUARE. 

1856. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  one  thon«an<2 
eight  hundred  and  forty-two,  by 

THOMAS  H.  WEBB,  <Sr  Co., 
in  the  Clerk's  Office  ot   tho   District   Court  of  Massachusetts 


B+ 


TO 

AMERICAN  MOTHERS, 

whose  intelligence  and  virtues  have  inspired  admira- 
tion and  respect,  whose  experience  has  furnished  many 
valuable  suggestions,  in  this  work,  whose  approbation 
will  be  highly  valued,  and  whose  influence,  in  promoting 
the  object  aimed  at,  is  respectfully  solicited,  this  work 
is  dedicated,  by  their  friend  and  countrywoman, 

THE   AUTHOR. 


PREFACE 

TO    THE    THIRD    EDITION 

THB  author  of  this  work  was  led  to  attempt  it,  by  dis- 
covering, in  her  extensive  travels,  the  deplorable  sufferings 
of  multitudes  of  young  wives  and  mothers,  from  the  com- 
bined influence  of  poor  health,  poor  domestics,  and  a  defect- 
ive domestic  education.  The  number  of  young  women 
whose  health  is  crushed,  ere  the  first  few  years  of  married 
life  are  past,  would  seem  incredible  to  one  who  has*  not  in- 
vestigated this  subject,  and  it  would  be  vain  to  attempt  to 
depict  the  sorrow,  discouragement,  and  distress  experien- 
ced in  most  families  where  the  wife  and  mother  is  a  perpet- 
ual invalid. 

The  writer  became  early  convinced  that  this  evil  results 
mainly  from  the  fact,  that  young  girls,  especially  in  the 
more  wealthy  classes,  are  not  trained  for  their  profession. 
In  early  life,  they  go  through  a  course  of  school  training 
which  results  in  great  debility  of  constitution,  while,  at  the 
same  time,  their  physical  and  domestic  education  is  almost 
wholly  neglected.  Thus  they  enter  on  their  most  arduous 
and  sacred  duties  so  inexperienced  and  uninformed,  and 
with  so  little  muscular  and  nervous  strength,  that  probably 
there  is  not  one  chance  in  ten,  that  young  women  of  the 
present  day,  will  pass  through  the  first  years  of  married  life 
without  such  prostration  of  health  and  spirits  as  makes  life 
a  burden  to  themselves,  and,  it  is  to  be  feared,  such  as  se- 
riously interrupts  the  confidence  and  happiness  of  married 
life. 

The  measure  which,  more  than  any  other,  would  tend  tc 
remedy  this  evil,  would  be  to  place  domestic  economy  on  an 


PREFACE. 


equality  with  the  other  sciences  in  female  schools.  This 
should  be  done  because  it  can  be  properly  and  systemati- 
cally taught  (not  practically,  but  as  a  science),  as  much  so 
as  political  economy  or  moral  science,  or  any  other  branch 
of  study ;  because  it  embraces  knowledge,  which  will  be 
needed  by  young  women  at  all  times  and  in  all  places ; 
because  this  science  can  never  be  properly  taught  until  it 
is  made  a  branch  of  study  ;  and  because  this  method  will 
secure  a  dignity  and  importance  in  the  estimation  of  young 
girls,  which  can  never  be  accorded  while  they  perceive 
their  teachers  and  parents  practically  attaching  more  value 
to  every  other  department  of  science  than  this.  *  When 
young  ladies  are  taught  the  construction  of  their  own  bod- 
ies, and  all  the  causes  in  domestic  life  which  tend  to  weak- 
en the  constitution  ;  when  they  are  taught  rightly  to  ap- 
preciate and  learn  the  most  convenient  and  economical 
modes  of  performing  all  family  duties,  and  of  employing 
time  and  money ;  and  when  they  perceive  the  true  estimate 
accorded  to  these  things  by  teachers  and  friends,  the  grand 
cause  of  this  evil  will  be  removed.  Women  will  be  train- 
ed to  secure,  as  of  first  importance,  a  strong  and  healthy 
constitution,  and  all  those  rules  of  thrift  and  economy  that 
will  make  domestic  duty  easy  and  pleasant. 

To  promote  this  object,  the  writer  prepared  this  volume 
as  a  text-book  for  female  schools.  It  has  been  examined 
by  the  Massachusetts  Board  of  Education,  and  been  deem- 
ed worthy  by  them  to  be  admitted  as  a  part  of  the  Massa- 
chusetts School  Library. 

It  has  also  been  adopted  as  a  text-book  in  some  of  our 
largest  and  most  popular  female  schools,  both  at  the  East 
and  West. 

The  following,  from  the  pen  of  Mr.  George  B.  Emmer- 
son,  one  of  the  most  popular  and  successful  teachers  in  our 
country,  who  has  introduced  this  work  as  a  text-book  iji 


FfiEFACE.  7 

his  own  schoo?,  will  exhibit  the  opinion  of  one  who  has 
formed  his  judgment  from  experience  in  the  use  of  the 
work: 

"  It  may  be  objected  that  such  things  cannot  be  taught 
by  books.  Why  not  1  Why  may  not  the  structure  of  the 
human  body,  and  the  laws  of  health  deduced  therefrom, 
be  as  well  taught  as  the  laws  of  natural  philosophy  ?  Why 
are  not  the  application  of  these  laws  to  the  management 
of  infants  and  young  children  as  important  to  a  woman 
as  the  application  of  the  rules  of  arithmetic  to  the  extrac- 
tion of  the  cube  root  ?  Why  may  not  the  properties  of  the 
atmosphere  be  explained,  in  reference  to  the  proper  venti- 
lation of  rooms,  or  exercise  in  the  open  air,  as  properly  as 
to  the  burning  of  steel  or  sodium  ?  AMi  "  is  not  the  human 
skeleton  as  curious  and  interesting  as  u«<-  air-pump  ;  and 
the  action  of  the  brain,  as  the  action  of  a  steam-engine  7 
Why  may  not  the  healthiness  of  different  kinds  of  food  and 
drink,  the  proper  modes  of  cooking,  and  the  rules  in  refer- 
ence to  the  modes  and  times  of  taking  them,  be  discussed 
as  properly  as  rules  of  grammar,  or  facts  in  history  ?  Are 
not  the  principles  that  should  regulate  clothing,  the  rules 
of  cleanliness,  the  advantages  of  early  rising  and  domestic 
exercise,  as  readily  communicated  as  the  principles  of  min- 
eralogy, or  rules  of  syntax  ?  Are  not  the  rules  of  Jesus 
Christ,  applied  to  refine  domestic  manners  and  preserve  a 
good  temper,  as  important  as  the  abstract  principles  of  eth- 
ics, as  taught  by  Paley,  Wayland,  or  Jouffroy  1  May  not 
the  advantages  of  neatness,  system,  and  order,  be  as  well 
illustrated  in  showing  how  they  contribute  to  the  happiness 
of  a  family,  as  by  showing  how  they  add  beauty  to  a  copy- 
book, or  a  portfolio  of  drawings?  Would  not  a  teacher 
be  as  well  employed  in  teaching  the  rules  of  economy,  in 
regard  to  time  and  expenses,  or  in  regard  to  dispensing 
iharity,  as  in  teaching  double,  or  single  entry  in  book-keep- 


0  PREFACE 

ing  ?  Are  not  the  principles  that  should  guide  in  construct- 
ing a  house,  and  in  warming  and  ventilating  it  properly,  as 
important  to  young  girls  as  the  principles  of  the  Athenian 
Commonwealth,  or  the  rules  of  Roman  tactics  ?  Is  it  not 
as  important  that  children  should  be  taught  the  dangers  to 
the  mental  faculties,  when  over-excited  on  the  one  hand, 
or  left  unoccupied  on  the  other,  as  to  teach  them  the  con- 
flicting theories  of  political  economy,  or  the  speculations  of 
metaphysicians?  For  ourselves,  we  have  always  found 
children,  especially  girls,  peculiarly  ready  to  listen  to  what 
they  saw  would  prepare  them  for  future  duties.  The  truth, 
that  education  should  be  a  preparation  for  actual,  real  life, 
has  the  greatest  force  with  children.  The  constantly-recur- 
ring inquiry,  *  What  will  be  the  use  of  this  study  ?'  is  al- 
ways satisfied  by  showing,  that  it  will  prepare  for  any  duty, 
relation,  or  office  which,  in  the  natural  course  of  things, 
will  be  likely  to  come. 

"  We  think  this  book  extremely  well  suited  to  be  used 
as  a  text-book  in  schools  for  young  ladies,  and  many  chap- 
ters are  well  adapted  for  a  reading  book  for  children  of 
both  sexes." 

To  this  the  writer  would  add  the  testimony  of  a  lady 
who  has  used  this  work  with  several  classes  of  young  girls 
and  young  ladies.  She  remarked  that  she  had  never 
known  a  school-book  that  awakened  more  interest,  and  that 
some  young  girls  would  learn  a  lesson  in  this  when  they 
would  study  nothing  else.  She  remarked,  also,  that  when 
reciting  the  chapter  on  the  construction  of  houses,  they  be- 
came greatly  interested  in  inventing  plans  of  their  own, 
which  gave  an  opportunity  to  the  teacher  to  point  out  dif- 
ficulties and  defects.  Had  this  part  of  domestic  economy 
been  taught  in  schools,  our  land  would  not  be  so  defaced 
with  awkward,  misshapen,  inconvenient,  and,  at  the  same 
time,  needlessly  expensive  houses,  as  it  now  is 


PREFACE.  9 

Although  the  writer  was  trained  to  the  care  of  children, 
and  to  perform  all  branches  of  domestic  duty,  by  some  of 
the  best  of  housekeepers,  much  in  these  pages  is  offered, 
not  as  the  result  of  her  own  experience,  but  as  what  has 
obtained  the  approbation  of  some  of  the  most  judicious 
mothers  and  housekeepers  in  the  nation.  The  articles  on 
Physiology  and  Hygiene,  and  those  on  horticulture,  were 
derived  from  standard  works  on  these  subjects,  and  arc 
sanctioned  by  the  highest  authorities. 

Miss  Beecher's  Domestic  Receipt  Book  is  another 
work  prepared  by  the  author  of  the  Domestic  Economy, 
in  connexion  with  several  experienced  housekeepers,  and 
is  designed  for  a  supplement  to  this  work.  On  pages  354, 
355*,  and  356*  will  be  found  the  Preface  and  Analysis  of 
that  work,  the  two  books  being  designed  for  a  complete 
course  of  instructions  on  every  department  of  Domestic 
Economy. 

The  copyright  interest  in  these  two  works  is  held  by  a 
board  of  gentlemen  appointed  for  the  purpose,  who,  after 
paying  a  moderate  compensation  to  the  author  for  the  time 
and  labour  spent  in  preparing  these  works,  will  employ  all 
the  remainder  paid  over  by  the  publishers,  to  aid  in  edu- 
cating and  locating  such  female  teachers  as  wish  to  be  em- 
ployed in  those  portions  of  our  country,  which  are  most 
destitute  of  schools. 

The  contract  with  the  publisher  provides  that  the  pub- 
lisher shall  guaranty  the  sales  and  thus  secure  against 
any  losses  for  bad  debts,  for  which  he  shall  receive  five 
per  cent.  He  shall  charge  twenty  per  cent,  for  commis- 
sions paid  to  retailers,  and  also  the  expenses  of  printing, 
paper,  and  binding,  at  the  current  market  prices,  and  make 
no  other  charges.  The  net  profits  thus  determined  are 
then  to  be  divided  equally,  the  publishers  taking  one  half, 
and  paying  the  other  half  to  the  board  above  mentioned. 


CONTENTS. 


PREFACE, 


CHAPTER  1. 

PECULIAR   RESPONSIBILITIES    OF   AMERICAN   WOMEN. 

American  Women  should  feel  a  peculiar  Interest  in  Democratic 
Institutions.  The  Maxim  of  our  Civil  Institutions.  Its  Iden- 
tity with  the  main  Principle  of  Christianity.  Relations  involv 
ing  Subordination  ;  why  they  are  needful.  Examples.  How 
these  Relations  are  decided  in  a  Democracy.  What  decides 
the  Equity  of  any  Law  or  Institution.  The  Principle  of  Aris- 
tocracy. The  Tendency  of  Democracy  in  Respect  to  the  Inter- 
ests of  Women.  Illustrated  in  the  United  States.  Testimony 
of  De  Tocqueville.  Miss  Martineau's  Misrepresentations.  In 
what  Respects  are  Women  subordinate  ?  and  why  ?  Wherein 
are  they  equal  or  superior  in  Influence  ?  and  how  are  they 
placed  by  Courtesy  ?  How  can  American  Women  rectify  any 
real  Disadvantages  involved  in  our  Civil  Institutions  ?  Opinion 
of  De  Tocqueville  as  to  the  Influence  and  Example  of  Ameri- 
can Democracy.  Responsibilities  involved  in  this  View,  espe 
cially  those  of  American  Women, 

CHAPTER  II. 

DIFFICULTIES    PECULIAR   TO    AMERICAN    WOMEN. 

\  Law  of  Moral  Action  to  be  noted.  Its  Application.  Consid 
orations  to  be  borne  in  Mind,  in  appreciating  peculiar  Trials 
Application  to  American  Women.  Difference  between  this 
and  Aristocratic  Countries.  How  this  affects  the  Interests  of 
American  Women.  Effect  of  Wealth,  in  this  Country,  on  Do- 
mestic Service.  Effects  on  the  Domestic  Comfort  of  Women. 
Second  peculiar  Trial  of  American  Women.  Extent  of  this 
Evil.  The  Writer's  Observation  on  this  Point.  Effects  on  the 
Anticipations  of  Mothers  and  Daughters.  Infrequency  of 
Healthful  Women  in  the  Wealthy  Classes.  Causes  which  op- 
erate to  undermine  the  Female  Constitution.  Excitement  of 
Mind.  Course  of  Intellectual  Training.  Taxation,  'n  .Domes- 
tic Life,  of  American  Mothers  and  Housekeepers  Exercise 


12  CONTENTS. 

and  Fresh  Air  needful  to  balance  Mental  Excitement.  Defect 
in  American,  compared  with  English,  Customs,  in  this  Respect 
Difference  in  the  Health  and  Youthfulness  of  Appearance  be- 
tween English  and  American  Mothers.  Liabilities  of  Ameri- 
can Women  to  the  uncommon  Exposures  of  a  New  Country 
Remarks  of  De  Tocqueville  and  the  Writer  on  this  Point,  .  3* 


CHAPTER    ill. 

REMEDIES    FOR   THE   PRECEDING   DIFFICULTIES. 

First  Remedy  suggested.  Obligations  of  Wealthy  Ladies  on  thi* 
Point.  How  a  Dearth  of  Domestics  may  prove  a  Blessing. 
Second  Remedy.  Domestic  Economy  should  be  taught  in 
Schools.  Third  Remedy.  Reasons  for  endowing  Colleges 
and  Professional  Schools.  Similar  Reasons  exist  for  endowing 
Female  Institutions.  Present  Evils  in  conducting  Female  Ed- 
ucation. A  Sketch  of  a  Model  Female  Institution.  Accom- 
modations provided.  Mode  of  securing  Exercise  to  Pupils. 
Objections  to  this  answered.  Calisthenics.  Course  of  Intel- 
Actual  Discipline  adopted.  Mode  of  Division  of  Labor  adopt 
ed.  Example  of  Illinois  in  Regard  to  Female  Education. 
Economy  of  Health  and  Time  secured  by  such  Institutions. 
Plan  suggested  for  the  Early  Education  of  Young  Girls.  Last 
Remedy  suggested,  ....  43 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Olf   DOMESTIC    ECONOMY   AS   A   BRANCH    OF    STUDY. 

mpediment  to  making  Domestic  Economy  a  Study  at  School. 
First  Reason  why  it  should  be  so  made.  State  of  Domestic 
Service  precarious.  Second  Reason.  Examples  illustrating. 
Third  Reason.  Questions  asked.  First  Objection ;  how  an- 
swered. Next  Objection ;  how  answered.  Next  Objection , 
how  answered.  Last  Reason, Ws 

CHAPTER  V. 

ON   THE    CARE    OF    HEALTH. 

importance  of  a  Knowledge  of  the  Laws  of  Health,  and  of  the 
Human  System,  to  Females.  Construction  of  the  Human 
Frame.  BONES  ;  their  Structure,  Design,  and  Use.  Engrav- 
ing and  Description.  Spinal.  Column.  Engravings  of  Verte- 
bra?. Exercise  of  the  Bones.  MUSCLES  ;  their  Constitution, 
Use,  and  Connection  with  the  Bones.  Engraving  and  Descrip 
tion.  Operation  of  Muscles.  NERVES  ;  their  Use.  Spinal 
Column.  Engravings  and  Descriptions.  Distortions  of  the 
Spine.  Engravings  and  Descriptions.  BLOOD-VESSELS  ;  their 
Object.  Engravings  and  Descriptions.  The  Heart,  and  its 
Connectidij  with  the  System.  Engravings  and  Descriptions 


CONTENTS.  13 

ORGANS  OF  DIGESTION  AND  RESPIRATION.  Engraving  and 
Description.  Process  of  Digestion.  Circulation  of  the  Blood. 
Process  of  Respiration.  Necessity  of  Pure  Air.  THE  SKIN 
Process  of  Perspiration.  Insensible  Perspiration.  Heat  of  the 
Body.  Absorbents.  Importance  of  frequent  Ablutions  and 
Change  of  Garments.  Follicles  of  Oily  Matter  in  the  Skin. 
Nerves  of  Feeling, 68 


CHAPTER  VI. 

ON   HEALTHFUL   FOOD. 

Lesponsibility  of  a  Housekeeper  in  Regard  to  Health  and  Food. 
The  most  fruitful  Cause  of  Disease.  Gastric  Juice;  how  pro- 
portioned. Hunger  the  Natural  Guide  as  to.  Quantity  of  Food. 
A  Benevolent  Provision ;  how  perverted,  and  its  Effects.  A 
Morbid  Appetite,  how  caused.  Effects  of  too  much  Food  in 
the  Stomach.  Duty  of  a  Housekeeper  in  Reference  to  this. 
Proper  Time  for  taking  Food.  Peristaltic  Motion.  Need  of 
Rest  to  the  Muscles  of  the  Stomach.  Tune  necessary  between 
each  Meal.  Exceptions  of  hard  Laborers  and  active  Children. 
Exercise ;  its  Effect  on  all  parts  of  the  Body.  How  it  produces 
Hunger.  What  is  to  be  done  by  those  who  have  lost  the  Guid- 
ance of  Hunger  in  regulating  the  Amount  of  Food.  On  Qual- 
ity of  Food.  Difference  as  to  Risk  from  bad  Food,  between 
Healthy  Persons  who  exercise,  and  those  of  Delicate  and  Seden 
tary  Habits.  Stimulating  Food ;  its  Effects.  Condiments  need 
ed  only  for  Medicine,  and  to  be  avoided  as  Food.  Difference 
between  Animal  and  Vegetable  Food.  Opinion  of  some  Med 
ical  Men.  Medical  Men  agree  as  to  the  Excess  of  Animal 
Food  in  American  Diet.  Extracts  from  Medical  Writers  on 
this  Point.  Articles  most  easily  digested.  The  most  Unhealth- 
ful  Articles  result  from  bad  cooking.  Caution  as  to  Mode  of 
Eating.  Reason  why  Mental  and  Bodily  Exertions  are  injuri- 
ous after  a  full  Meal.  Changes  in  Diet  should  be  gradual ;  and 
why.  Drink  most  needed  at  Breakfast;  and  why.  Dinner 
should  be  the  heartiest  Meal ;  and  why.  Little  Drink  to  be 
taken  while  eating;  and  why.  Extremes  of  Heat  or  Cold, 
why  injurious  in  Food.  Fluids  immediately  absorbed  from  the 
Stomach.  Why  Soups  are  hard  of  Digestion.  Case  of  Alexis 
St.  Martin.  Why  highly-concentrated  Nourishment  is  not 
good  for  Health.  Beneficial  Effects  of  usingr  Unbolted  Flour. 
Scarcity  of  Wheat  under  William  Pitt's  Administration,  and 
its  Effects.  Causes  of  a  Debilitated  Constitution  from  the 
Misuse  of  Food, 


CHAPTER  VII. 

ON    HEALTHFUL    DRINKS. 

Responsibility  of  a  Housekeeper  in  this  Respect.     Stimulating 
Drinks  not  required  for  the  Perfection  of  the  Human  System. 

2  D.  E. 


'4  CONTENTS. 

Therefore  they  are  needless.  First  Evil  in  using  them.  Sec 
ond  Evil.  Five  Kind*  of  Stimulating  Articles  in  Use  in  this 
Country.  First  Argument  in  Favor  of  Stimulants,  and  how 
answered.  Second  Argument ;  how  answered.  The  Writer's 
View  of  the  Effects  of  Tea  and  Coffee  on  American  Females. 
Duty  in  Reference  to  Children.  Black  Tea  the  most  harmless 
Stimulant.  Warm  Drinks  not  needful.  Hot  Drinks  injurious. 
Effect  of  Hot  Drinks  on  Teeth.  Mexican  Customs  and  their 
Effects  illustrating  this.  Opinion  of  Dr.  Combe  on  this  subject. 
Difference  between  the  Stimulus  of  Animal  Food  and  the 
Stimulating  Drinks  used.  Common  Habit  of  Drinking  freely 
of  Cold  Water  debilitating.  Persons  taking  but  little  Exer- 
cise require  but  little  Drink,  ...  106 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

ON    CLOTHING. 

Calculations  made  from  Bills  of  Mortality;  and  Inference  from 
them.  Causes  of  Infant  Mortality.  Of  the  Circulation  in  In- 
fancy. Warm  Dress  for  Infants,  and  why.  Investigations  in 
France,  and  Results.  Dangers  from  the  opposite  Extreme. 
Effects  of  too  much  Clothing.  Rule  of  Safety.  Featherbeds; 
why  unhealthy  in  Warm  Weather.  Best  Nightgowns  for 
Young  Children.  Clothing;  how  to  be  proportioned.  Irra- 
tional Dress  of  Women.  Use  of  Flannel  next  the  Skin.  Evils 
of  Tight  Dresses  to  Women.  False  Taste  in  our  Prints  of 
Fashions.  Modes  in  which  Tight  Dresses  operate  to  weaken 
the  Constitution.  Rule  of  Safety  as  to  Looseness  of  Dress. 
Example  of  English  Ladies  in  Appropriateness  of  Dress,  .  .112 


CHAPTER  IX. 

ON   CLEANLINESS. 

Importance  of  Cleanliness  not  realized,  without  a  Knowledge  of 
the  Nature  of  the  Skin.  Foundation  of  the  Maxim  respecting 
the  Healthfulness  of  Dirt.  Office  of  the  Skin.  Other  Organs 
which  perform  similar  Duties.  Amount  of  Matter  daily  exhaled 
by  the  Skin.  Effect  of  a  Chill  upon  the  Skin,  when  perspiring. 
Illustration  of  this.  Effect  of  closing  the  Pores  of  the  Skin, 
with  Dirt  or  other  Matter.  The  Skin  absorbs  Matter  into  the 
Blood.  Reasons  for  a  Daily  Ablution  of  the  whole  Body.  Ef- 
fects of  Fresh  Air  on  Clothing  worn  next  the  Skin.  Ameri- 
cans compared  with  other  Nations  as  to  Care  of  the  Skin. 
Cautions  in  Regard  to  a  Use  of  the  Bath.  How  to  decide  when 
Cold  Bathing  is  useful.  Warm  Bath  tends  to  prevent  Colds ; 
and  why.  When  a  Bath  should  be  taken.  Advantages  of 
General  Ablutions  to  Children.  Care  of  the  Teeth 118 


CONTENTS.  15 

CHAPTER    X. 

ON    EARLY    RISING. 

Universal  Impression  in  Respect  to  this  Practice.  Why  it  should 
be  regarded  as  American  and  Democratic.  Practice  in  Aris- 
tocratic Circles  in  England.  Appeal  to  American  Women. 
First  Consideration  in  Favor  of  Early  Rising.  Another 
Physiological  Reason  in  its  Favor.  Another  Reason.  Time 
necessary  for  Sleep.  Proper  Hours  for  Rising  and  Retiring. 
Evils  of  protracted  Sleep.  Testimony  of  Sir  John  Sinclair 
Another  Reason  for  Early  Rising.  Responsibility  of  Parents 
for  the  Health  and  Industry  of  a  Family.  Effects  of  Early 
Rising  on  General  Society, 128 

CHAPTER    XL 

ON   DOMESTIC    EXERCISE. 

Causes  which  produce  Delicacy  and  Decay  of  the  Female  Con 
stitution.  Want  of  Exercise.  Neglect  of  the  Laws  of  Health. 
Want  of  Pure  Air.  Objectionable  Amusements.  Sleeping  by 
Day.  Want  of  Exercise  a  greater  Cause  of  these  Evils,  than 
all  the  Others  combined.  Importance  of  understanding  the 
Influence  of  the  Neglect  or  Abuse  of  the  Muscular  System. 
Nerves  of  Sensation  and  of  Motion.  Both  need  Exercise. 
Rules  for  Exercise.  Importance  of  a  Feeling  of  Interest  in 
taking  Exercise.  Walks  merely  for  Exercise.  Exercise  most 
proper  for  Young  Girls.  Exercise,  more  than  any  Thing  else, 
imparts  fresh  Strength  and  Vitality  to  all  Parts  of  the  Body. 
Mistakes  of  Mothers  and  Teachers  on  this  Subject.  Effects  of 
neglecting  to  use  the  Muscles ;  Effects  of  excessive  Use  of 
them.  Effect  of  School  Confinement  and  Seats.  Extract 
from  the  Young  Lady's  Friend.  Lady  Montagu.  Daughter 
of  a  French  Nobleman,  128 

CHAPTER   XII. 

ON   DOMESTIC    MANNERS. 

What  are  Good-manners.  Defect  in  American  Manners.  Cold- 
ness and  Reserve  of  the  Descendants  of  the  Puritans  accounted 
for.  Cause  of  the  Want  of  Courtesy  in  American  Manners. 
Want  of  Discrimination.  Difference  of  Principles  regulating 
Aristocratic  and  Democratic  Manners.  Rules  for  regulating 
the  Courtesies  founded  on  Precedence  of  Age,  Office,  and  Sta- 
tion, in  a  Democracy.  Manners  appropriate  to  Superiors  and 
Subordinates.  Miss  Martineau's  Remarks  on  the  Universal 
Practice  of  Americans  to  give  Precedence  to  Woman.  Pecu- 
liar Defect  of  Americans  in  this  Respect.  This  to  be  remedied 
in  the  Domestic  Circle,  alone.  Rules  of  Precedence  to  be  en- 
forced in  the  Family.  Manners  and  Tones  towards  Superiors 
to  be  regulated  in  the  Family.  Treatment  of  grown  Brothers 
and  Sisters  by  Young  Children.  Acknowledgement  of  Favors 
by  Children  tc  be  required  Children  to  ask  leave  or  apologize 


16  CONTENTS. 

in  certain  Cases.  Rules  for  avoiding  Remarks  that  wount/  Uie 
Feelings  of  Others.  Rules  of  Hospitality.  Conventional 
Rules.  Rules  for  Table  Manners.  Caution  as  to  teaching 
these  Rules  to  Children.  Caution  as  to  Allowances  to  be 
made  for  those  deficient  in  Good-manners.  Comparison  of 
English  and  American  Manners,  by  De  Tocqueville.  America 
may  hope  to  excel  all  Nations  in  Refinement,  Taste,  and 
Good-breeding ;  and  why.  Effects  of  Wealth  and  Equali- 
sation of  Labor.  Allusion  to  the  Manners  of  Courts  in  the 
oast  Century, 136 

CHAPTER    XIII. 

ON  THE  PRESERVATION  OF  A  GOOD  TEMPER  IN  A 
HOUSEKEEPER. 

Influence  of  a  Housekeeper  on  Domestic  Happiness.  Contrasts 
to  illustrate.  Sympathy.  Influence  of  Tones.  Allowances 
to  be  made  for  Housekeepers.  Considerations  to  aid  in  regu- 
lating Temper  and  Tones.  First ;  Her  Duties  to  be  regarded 
as  Dignified,  Important,  and  Difficult.  Second  ;  She  should 
feel  that  she  really  has  Great  Difficulties  to  meet  and  over- 
come. Third ;  She  should  deliberately  calculate  upon  having 
her  Plans  interfered  with,  and  be  prepared  for  the  Emergency. 
Fourth ;  All  her  Plans  should  be  formed  consistently  with  the 
Means  at  Command.  Fifth ;  System,  Economy,  and  Neatness, 
only  valuable  when  they  tend  to  promote  the  Comfort  and 
Well-being  of  the  Family.  Sixth ;  Government  of  Tones  of 
Voice.  Some  Persons  think  Angry  Tones  needful.  They 
mistake.  Illustration.  Scolding,  Unlady-like,  and  in  Bad 
Taste.  A  Forgiving  Spirit  necessary.  Seventh  and  Last 
Consideration  offered ;  Right  View  of  a  Superintending  Prov- 
idence. Fretfulness  and  Complaining  sinful,  .  ....  148 

CHAPTER   XIV 

ON   HABITS    OF    SYSTEM  AND    ORDER. 

Question  of  the  Equality  of  the  Sexes,  frivolous  and  useless. 
Relative  Importance  and  Difficulty  of  the  Duties  a  Woman 
is  called  to  perform.  Her  Duties  not  trivial.  More  difficult 
than  those  of  the  Queen  of  a  great  Nation.  A  Habit  of  Sys 
tern  and  Order  necessary.  Right  Apportionment  of  Time. 
General  Principles.  Christianity  to  be  the  Foundation.  In- 
tellectual and  Social  Interests  to  be  preferred  to  Gratification 
of  Taste  or  Appetite.  The  Latter  to  be  last  in  our  Kstimation. 
No  Sacrifice  of  Health  allowable.  Neglect  of  Health  a  Sin  in 
the  Sight  of  God.  Regular  Season  of  Rest  appointed  by  the 
Creator.  Divisions  or  Time.  Systematic  Arrangement  of 
House  Articles  and  other  Conveniences.  Regular  Employ 
ment  for  each  Member  of  a  Family.  Children  can  be  of  great 
Service.  Boys  should  be  taught  Family  Work.  Advantage 
to  them  in  Afterlife.  Older  Children  to  take  Care  of  Infants 
of  a  Family,  .  .  .155 


CONTENTS.  17 

CHAPTER    XV. 

ON    GIVING    IN    CHARITY. 

No  Point  of  Duty  more  difficult  to  fix  by  Rule,  1han  Charity. 
First  Consideration ; — Object  for  which  we  are  placed  in  this 
World.  How  to  be  perfectly  happy.  Self-denying  Benevo- 
lence. Important  Distinction.  Second  Consideration  ; — Nat- 
ural Principles  not  to  be  exterminated,  but  regulated  and  con- 
trolled. All  Constitutional  Propensities  good,  and  designed 
to  be  gratified.  Their  Abuses  to  be  guarded  against.  Third 
Consideration ; — Superfluities  sometimes  proper,  and  some- 
times not.  Fourth  Consideration ; — No  Rule  of  Duty  right 
for  One  and  not  for  All.  The  Opposite  of  this  Principle  tested. 
Some  Use  of  Superfluities  necessary.  Physical  Gratifications 
should  always  be  subordinate  to  Social,  Intellectual,  and  Moral 
Advantages.  Difficulties  in  the  Way.  Remarks  upon  them 
Plan  for  Keeping  an  Account  of  Necessaries  and  Superfluities. 
Untoward  Results  of  our  Actions  do  not  always  prove  that  we 
deserve  Blame.  Examples  of  Conformity  to  the  Rules  here 
laid  down.  General  Principles  to  guide  in  deciding  upon 
Objects  of  Charity.  Parable  of  Good  Samaritan.  Who  are 
our  Neighbors.  Those  most  in  Need  to  be  first  relieved.  In- 
tellectual and  Moral  Wants  more  necessary  to  be  supplied 
than  Physical.  Not  much  Need  of  Charity  in  supplying  Physi- 
cal Wants  in  this  Country.  System  of  Associated  Charities, 
in  which  many  small  Sums  are  combined.  Indiscriminate 
Charity — Very  injurious  to  Society,  as  a  General  Rule.  Ex- 
ceptions, impropriety  of  judging  of  the  Charities  of  Others,  167 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

ON   ECONOMY    OF    TIME    AND    EXPENSES. 

Economy  of  Time.  Value  of  Time.  Right  Apportionment  of 
Time.  Laws  appointed  by  God.for  the  Jews.  Proportions  of 
Property  and  Time  the  Jews  were  required  to  devote  to  Intel- 
lectual, Benevolent,  and  Religious  Purposes.  The  Levites 
The  weekly  Sabbath.  The  Sabbatical  Year.  Three  sevenths 
of  the  Time  of  the  Jews  devoted  to  God's  Service.  Christian- 
ity removes  the  Restrictions  laid  on  the  Jews,  but  demands  all 
our  Time  to  be  devoted  to  our  own  best  Interests  and  the  Good 
of  our  Fellow-men.  Some  Practical  Good  to  be  the  Ultimate 
End  of  all  our  Pursuits.  Enjoyment  connected  with  the  Per- 
formance of  every  Duty.  Great  Mistake  of  Mankind.  A  Fi- 
nal Account  to  be  given  of  the  Apportionment  of  our  Time. 
Various  Modes  of  economizing  Time.  System  and  Order. 
Uniting  several  Objects  in  one  Employment.  Employment  of 
Odd  Intervals  of  Time.  We  are  bound  to  aid  Others  in  econ- 
omizing Time.  Economy  in  Expenses.  Necessity  of  Informa- 
tion on  this  Point.  Contradictory  Notions.  General  Prin- 
ciples in  which  all  agree.  Knowledge  of  Income  and  Ex- 
penses. Every  One  bound  to  do  as  much  as  she  can  to  secure 
System  and  Order.  Examples.  Evils  of  Want  of  System  and 
Forethought.  Young  Ladies  should  early  learn  to  be  system- 
s' DC 


'  ?  CONTENTS. 

atic  and  economical.  Articles  of  Dress  and  Furniture  should 
be  in  Keeping  with  each  other,  and  with  the  Circumstances  of 
the  Family.  Mistaken  Economy.  Education  of  Daughters 
away  from  Home  injudicious.  Nice  Sewing  should  be  done 
at  Home.  Cheap  Articles  not  always  most  economical.  Buy- 
ing by  wholesale  economical  only  in  special  cases.  Penurious 
Savings  made  by  getting  the  Poor  to  work  cheap.  Relative 
Obligations  of  the  Poor  and  the  Rich  in  Regard  to  Economy. 
Economy  of  Providence  in  the  Unequal  Distribution  of  Prop- 
erty. Carelessness  of  Expense  not  a  Mark  of  Gentility.  Beat 
ing  down  Prices  improper  in  Wealthy  People.  Inconsistency 
in  American  would-be  Fashionables,  .  .  .  •  .'•  •  1^' 

CHAPTER  XVII. 

ON    HEALTH    OF    MIND. 

tntimate  Connection  between  the  Body  and  Mind.  Brain  ex 
cited  by  improper  Stimulants  taken  into  the  Stomach.  Mental 
Faculties  then  affected.  Example  of  a  Person  having  lost  a 
Portion  of  his  Skull.  Causes  of  Mental  Diseases  Want  of 
Oxygenized  Blood.  Fresh  Air  absolutely  necessary.  Exces- 
sive Exercise  of  the  Intellect  or  Feelings  a  Cause  of  Derange- 
ment. Such  Attention  to  Religion,  as  prevents  the  Perform- 
ance of  other  Duties,  wrong.  Teachers  and  Parents  should 
look  to  this.  Unusual  Precocity  in  Children  usually  the  Re 
suit  of  a  Diseased  Brain.  Parents  generally  add  Fuel  to  this 
Fever.  Idiocy  often  the  Result,  or  the  Precocious  Child  sinks 
below  the  Average  of  Mankind.  This  Evil  yet  prevalent  in 
Colleges  and  other  Seminaries.  A  Medical  Man  necessary  in 
every  Seminary.  Some  Pupils  always  needing  Restraint  in 
Regard  to  Study.  A  Third  Cause  of  Mental  Disease,  the 
Want  of  Appropriate  Exercise  of  the  Various  Faculties  of  the 
Mind.  Extract  from  Dr.  Combe.  Examples  of  Wealthy  La 
dies.  Beneficial  Results  of  active  Intellectual  Employments. 
Indications  of  a  Diseased  Mind,  .  .  ....  «  195 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

ON   THE    CARE    OF    DOMESTICS. 

Vo  Subject  on  which  American  Women  need  more  Wisdom, 
Patience,  Principle,  and  Self-control.  Its  Difficulties.  Neces- 
sary Evils.  Miseries  of  Aristocratic  Lands.  Wisdom  of 
Conforming  to  Actual  Circumstances.  How  to  judge  cor- 
rectly respecting  Domestics.  They  should  be  treated  as  we 
would  expect  to  be  under  similar  Circumstances.  When 
Labor  is  scarce,  its  Value  is  increased.  Instability  of  Domes 
tics;  how  it  may  be  remedied.  Pride  and  Insubordination, 
how  remedied.  Abhorrence  of  Servitude  a  National  Trait  of 
Character.  Domestics  easily  convinced  of  the  Appropriate- 
ness of  different  Degrees  of  Subordination.  Example.  Do 
mestics  may  be  easily  induced  to  be  respectful  in  their  De- 
portment, and  appropriate  in  their  Dress.  Deficiencies  of 
Qualifications  for  the  Performance  of  their  Duties  ;  how  rem- 
edied. Fore vvarnin g,  better  than  Chiding.  Preventing,  better 


CONTENTS.  19 

«• 

than  finding  Fault.  Faults  should  be  pointed  out  in  a  Kind 
Manner.  Some  Employers  think  it  their  Office  and  Duty  to 
find  Fault.  Domestics  should  be  regarded  with  Sympathy 
and  Forbearance, ...  ...  .  <i04 

CHAPTER  XIX 

ON    THE    CARE    OF    INFANTS. 

Necessity  of  a  Knowledge  of  this  Subject,  to  every  Young  Lady. 
Examples.  Extracts  from  Doctors  Combe,  Bell,  and  Eberle. 
Half  the  Deaths  of  Infants  owing  to  Mismanagement,  and 
Errors  in  Diet.  Errors  of  Parents  and  Nurses.  Error  of  ad- 
ministering Medicines  to  Children,  unnecessarily.  Need  of 
Fresh  Air,  Attention  to  Food,  Cleanliness,  Dress,  and  Bathing. 
Cholera  Infantum  not  cured  by  Nostrums.  Formation  of 
Good  Habits  in  Children, 213 


CHAPTER  XX. 

ON    THE    MANAGEMENT    OF    YOUNG    CHILDREN. 

Physical  Education  of  Children.  Remark  of  Dr.  Clark,  and  Opin 
ion  of  other  Medical  Men.  Many  Popular  Notions  relating  to 
Animal  Food  for  Children,  erroneous.  The  Formation  of  the 
Human  Teeth  and  Stomach  does  not  indicate  that  Man  was 
designed  to  live  on  Flesh.  Opinions  of  Linnaeus  and  Cuvier 
Stimulus  of  Animal  Food  not  necessary  to  Full  Developement 
of  the  Physical  and  Intellectual  Powers.  Examples.  Of  Lap- 
landers, Kamtschatkadales,  Scotch  Highlanders,  Siberian  Ex 
iles,  Africans,  Arabs.  Popular  Notion  that  Animal  Food  is 
more  Nourishing  than  Vegetable.  Different  Opinions  on  this 
Subject.  Experiments.  Opinions  of  Dr.  Combe  and  others. 
Examples  of  Men  who  lived  to  a  great  Age.  Dr.  Franklin's 
Testimony.  Sir  Isaac  Newton  and  others.  Albany  Orphan 
Asylum.  Deleterious  Practice  of  allowing  Children  to  eat  at 
short  Intervals.  Intellectual  Training.  Schoolrooms.  Moral 
Character.  Submission,  Self-denial,  and  Benevolence,  the 
three  most  important  Habits  to  be  formed  in  Early  Life.  Ex- 
tremes to  be  guarded  against.  Medium  Course.  Adults  some- 
times forget  the  Value  which  Children  set  on  Trifles.  Example. 
Impossible  to  govern  Children,  properly,  without  appreciating 
the  Value  they  attach  to  their  Pursuits  and  Enjoyments. 
Those  who  govern  Children  should  join  in  their  Sports.  This 
the  best  way  to  gain  their  Confidence  and  Affection.  But 
Older  Persons  should  never  lose  the  Attitude  of  Superiors. 
Unsteadiness  in  Government.  Illustrations.  Punishment  from 
unsteady  Governors,  does  little  Good.  Over-Government. 
Want  of  Patience  and  Self-control  in  Parents  and  Governors. 
Example  of  Parents  more  effectual  than  their  Precepts.  For 
mation  of  Habits  of  Self-denial  in  Early  Life.  Denying  Our- 
selves to  promote  the  Happiness  of  Others.  Habits  of  Honesty 
and  Veracity.  Habits  of  Modesty.  Delicacy  studiously  to  be 
cherished.  Licentious  and  Impure  Books  to  be  banished. 
Bulwer  a  Licentious  Writer,  and  to  be  discountenanced,  . 


20  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER   XXL 

ON   THE    CARE    OF    THE    SICJK. 

Women  frequently  called  upon  to  direct  in  Cases  of  Indisposi- 
tion. Extremes  to  be  avoided.  Grand  Cause  of  naos*  Diseases, 
Excess  in  Eating  and  Drinking.  Fasting  useful.  Extracts 
from  Doctors  Burne  and  Combe.  Necessity  of  a  Woman's 
Understanding  the  Nature  and  Operation  of  Common  Medi- 
nes.  Simple  Electuary.  Discretion  required.  Useful  Di- 
rections in  Regard  to  Nursing  the  Sick.  Fresh  Air  absolutely 
necessary.  Frequent  Ablutions  important.  Dressing  a  Blis- 
ter. Arrangements  to  be  made  beforehand,  when  practicable. 
Importance  of  Cleanliness ;  Nothing  more  annoying  to  the 
Sick,  than  a  want  of  it.  Necessity  of  a  proper  Preparation  of 
Food,  for  the  Sick.  Physicians'  Directions  to  be  well  under- 
stood and  implicitly  followed.  Kindness,  Patience,  and  Syna 
pathy,  towards  the  Sick,  important.  Impositions  of  Apotheca 
ries.  Drugs  to  be  locked  up  from  the  Access  of  Children,  .  <J34 

CHAPTER  XXII. 

ON  ACCIDENTS  AND  ANTIDOTES. 

IV  edical  Aid  should  be  promptly  resorted  to.  Suffocation,  troiu 
Substances  in  the  Throat.  Common  Cuts.  Wounds  of  Ar 
teries,  and  other  severe  Cuts.  Bruises.  Sprains.  Broken 
Limbs.  Falls.  Blows  on  the  Head.  Burns.  Drowning. 
Poisons  :  —  Corrosive  Sublimate;  Arsenic,  or  Cobalt;  Opium; 
Acids;  Alkalies.  Stupefaction  from  Fumes  of  Charcoal,  or 
from  entering  a  Well,  Limekiln,  or  Coalmine.  Hemorrhage 
of  the  Lungs,  Stomach,  or  Throat.  Bleeding  of  the  Nose. 
Dangers  from  Lightning,  .  24i 


CHAPTER   XX] iL 

ON   DOMESTIC    AMUSEMENTS    AND    SOCIAL    DUTIES 

Indefiniteness  of  Opinion  on  this  Subject.  Every  Person  needs 
some  Recreation.  General  Rules.  How  much  Time  to  be 
given.  What  Amusements  proper.  Those  should  always  be 
avoided,  which  cause  Pain,  or  injure  the  Health,  or  endanger 
Life,  or  interfere  with  important  Duties,  or  are  pernicious  in 
their  Tendency.  Horse-racing,  Circus-riding,  Theatres,  and 
Gambling.  Dancing,  as  now  conducted,  does  not  conduce  to 
Health  of  Body  or  Mind,  but  the  contrary.  Dancing  in  the 
Open  Air  beneficial.  Social  Benefits  of  Dancing  considered. 
Ease  and  Grace  of  Manners  better  secured  by  a  System  of 
Calisthenics.  The  Writer's  Experience.  Balls  going  out  of 
Fashion,*  among  the  more  refined  Circles.  Novel-reading. 
Necessity  for  Discrimination.  Young  Persons  should  be 
guarded  from  Novels.  Proper  Amusements  for  Young  Per- 
sons. Cultivation  of  Flowers  and  Fruits.  Benefits  of  the 
Practice.  Music.  Children  enjoy  it.  Collections  of  Sheila, 


CONTENTS.  21 


Plants,  Minerals,  &c.  Children's  Games  and  Sports.  Parents 
should  join  in  them.  Mechanical  Skill  of  Children  to  be  en 
couraged.  Other  Enjoyments.  Social  Enjoyments  not  always 
considered  in  the  List  of  Duties.  Main  Object  of  Life  to  form 
Character  Family  Friendship  should  be  preserved.  Plan 
adopted  by  Families  of  the  Writer's  Acquaintance.  Kindness 
to  Strangers.  Hospitality.  Change  of  Character  of  Com- 
munities in  Relation  to  Hospitality.  Hospitality  should  be 
prompt.  Strangers  should  be  made  to  feel  at  their  Ease,  .  .  244 


CHAPTER    XXIV. 

ON  THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  HOUSES. 

Importance  to  Family  Comfort  of  well-constructed  Houses. 
Rules  for  constructing  them.  Economy  of  Labor.  Large 
Houses.  Arrangement  of  Rooms.  Wells  and  Cisterns. 
Economy  of  Money.  Shape  and  Arrangement  of  Houses. 
Porticoes,  Piazzas,  and  other  Ornaments.  Simplicity  to  be 
preferred.  Fireplaces.  Economy  of  Health.  Outdoor  Con- 
veniences. Doors  and  Windows.  Ventilation.  Economy 
of  Comfort.  Domestics.  Spare  Chambers.  Good  Taste. 
Proportions.  Color  and  Ornaments.  Plans  of  Houses  and 
Domestic  Conveniences.  Receipts  for  Whitewash,  ....  258 

CHAPTER    XXV. 

ON    FIRES    AND   LIGHTS. 

Wood  Fires.  Construction  of  Fireplaces.  Firesets.  Building 
a  Fire.  Wood.  Cautions.  Stoves  and  Grates.  Cautions. 
Stovepipes.  Anthracite  Coal.  Bituminous  Coal.  Proper 
Grates.  Coal  Stoves.  On  Lights.  Lamps.  Oil.  Candles. 
Lard.  Pearlash  and  Water  for  cleansing  Lamps.  Care  of 
Lamps.  Difficulty.  Articles  needed  in  trimming  Lamps. 
Astral  Lamps.  Wicks.  Dipping  Wicks  in  Vinegar.  Shades. 
Weak  Eyes.  Entry  Lamps.  Night  Lamps.  Tapers.  Wax 
Tapers  for  Use  in  Sealing  Letters.  To  make  Candles. 
Moulds.  Dipped  Candles.  Rush  Lights,  .......  280 


CHAPTER    XXVI. 

CN   WASHING. 

All  needful  Accommodations  should  be  provided.  Plenty  of 
Water,  easily  accessible,  necessary.  Articles  to  be  provided 
for  Washing.  Substitutes  for  Soft  Water.  Common  Mode 
of  Washing.  Assorting  Clothes.  To  Wash  Bedding.  Feath- 
ers, Calicoes.  Bran- water.  Potato- water.  Soda  Washing. 
Soda  Soap.  Mode  of  Soda  Washing.  Cautions  in  Regard  to 
Colored  Clothes,  and  Flannels.  To  Wash  Brown  Linen, 
Muslins,  Nankeen,  Woollen  Table-Covers  and  Shawls,  Wool- 
len Yarn,  Worsted  and  Woollen  Hose.  To  Cleanse  Gen- 
tlemen's Broadcloths.  To  make  Ley,  Soft  Soap,  Hard  Soap, 
White  Soap,  Starch,  and  other  Articles  used  in  Washing,  .  .  284 


22  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER    XXVII. 

ON    STARCHING,    IRONING,   AND    CLEANSING. 

To  prepare  Starch.  Glue  and  Gum  Starch.  Beef's  or  Ox-Gall. 
Starching  Muslins  and  Laces.  To  Cleanse  or  Whiten  Silk 
Lace,  or  Blond,  and  White  Lace  Veils.  On  Ironing.  Articles 
to  be  provided  for  Ironing.  Sprinkling,  Folding,  and  Ironing,  '2954 

CHAPTER    XXV1I1. 

ON   WHITENING,    CLEANSING,   AND   DYEING. 

To  Whiten  Articles  and  Remove  Stains  from  them.  Mixtures 
to  Remove  Stains  and  Grease.  To  Cleanse  Silk  Handker- 
chiefs and  Ribands  ;  Silk  Hose  or  Gloves  ;  Down  and  Feathers  j 
Straw  and  Leghorn  Hats  On  Coloring.  Pink,  Red,  Yellow, 
Blue,  Green,  Salmon,  Buff,  Dove,  Slate,  Brown,  Black,  and 
Olive  Colors, 296 

CHAPTER    XXIX. 

ON    THE    CARE    OF    PARLORS. 

Proper  Arrangement  of  Rooms.  Shades  and  Colors.  Carpets, 
Curtains,  and  other  Furniture,  should  be  selected  with  Ref 
erence  to  each  other.  Laying  down  Carpets.  Blocks  to  pre- 
vent Sofas  and  Tables  from  rubbing  against  Walls,  and  to  hold 
Doors  open.  Footstools.  Sweeping  Carpets.  Tealeaves. 
Wet  Indian  Meal.  Taking  up  and  cleansing  Carpets.  Washing 
Carpets.  Straw  Matting.  Pictures  and  Glasses.  Curtains  and 
Sofas.  Mahogany  Furniture.  Unvarnished  Furniture  ;  Mix- 
tures for.  Hearths  and  Jambs.  Sweeping  and  Dusting  Parlors,  3012 


CHAPTER    XXX. 

ON   THE    CARE    OF    BREAKFAST    AND    DINING-ROOMS. 

Closet  necessary.  Dumb  Waiter,  or  Sliding  Closet.  Fur 
niture  for  a  Table.  On  Setting  a  Table.  Rules  for  doing  it 
properly ; — for  Breakfast  and  Tea ;  for  Dinner.  On  Waiting  at 
Table.  On  Carving  and  Helping  at  Table,  . 306 

CHAPTER    XXXI. 

ON  THE  CARE  OF  CHAMBERS  AND  BEDROOMS. 

inportance  of  well-ventilated  Sleeping-rooms.  Debility  and 
Ill-health  caused  by  a  Want  of  Pure  Air.  Chamber  Furni- 
ture. Cheap  Couch.  Bedding.  Feathers,  Straw,  or  Hair 
Mattresses.  To  Make  a  Bed.  Domestics  should  be  provided 
with  Single  Beds,  and  Washing  Conveniences.  On  Packing 
and  Storing  Articles.  To  Fold  a  Gentleman's  Coat  and  Shirt, 
and  a  Frock.  Packing  Trunks.  Carpet  Bags.  Bonnet  Cov- 
ers Packing  Household  Furniture  for  Mov  ng, 311 


CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XXXIi 

ON   THE    CARE     OF    THE    KITCHEN,    CELLAR,   AND    STOREROOM. 

Importance  of  a  Convenient  Kitchen.  Floor  should  be  painted 
Sink  and  Drain.  Washing  Dishes.  Conveniences  needed. 
Rules.  Kitchen  Furniture.  Crockery.  Iron  Ware.  Tin 
Ware.  Wooden  Ware.  Basket  Ware.  Other  Articles.  On 
the  Care  of  the  Cellar.  Storeroom.  Modes  of  Destroying  In- 
sects and  Vermin, 317 

CHAPTER   XXXIII. 

ON    SEWING,    CUTTING,   AND    MENDING. 

Importance  of  Young  Girls  being  taught  various  Kinds  of  Stitch 
ing.  Directions  for  doing  various  Kinds  of  Work.  Work- 
Baskets,  and  their  Contents.  On  Cutting  and  Fitting  Gar- 
ments. Silks.  Cotton  and  Linen.  Old  Silk  Dresses  quilted 
for  Skirts.  Flannel ;  White  should  be  colored.  Children's 
Flannels.  Nightgowns.  Wrappers.  Bedding.  Mending,  .  324 

CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

ON  THE  CARE  OF  YARDS  AND  GARDENS. 

On  the  Preparation  of  Soil.  For  Pot-Plants.  On  the  Prepara- 
tion of  a  Hot-Bed.  Planting  Flower-Seeds.  To  plant  Garden- 
Seeds.  Transplanting.  To  Re-pot  House-Plants.  On  laying 
out  Yards.  Gardens.  Flower-Beds.  Bulbs  and  Tuberous 
Roots.  List  of  Various  Kinds  of  Flowers,  in  Reference  to 
Color,  and  Height.  Annuals.  Climbing  Plants.  Perennials. 
Herbaceous  Roots.  Shrubs ;  List  of  those  most  suitable  for 
adorning  a  Yard.  Roses;  Varieties  of.  Shade-Trees.  Time 
for  Transplanting.  Trees.  Care  of  House  Plants,  .  .  .  .  33J 

CHAPTER  XXXV. 

ON   THE    PROPAGATION    OF    PLANTS. 

Different  Modes  of  Propagation ; — By  Offsets ;  Cuttings ;  Lay- 
ers; Budding,  or  Inoculating;  Ingrafting; — Whip- Grafting ; 
Split- Grafting ;  Stock- Grafting.  Pruning.  Thinning,  .  .  .341 

CHAPTER   XXXVI. 

ON   THE    CULTIVATION    OF    FRUIT. 

Value  of  Attention  to  this  Subject.  Preparation  of  Soil.  Plant- 
ing of  Seeds.  Budding,  Grafting,  and  Transplanting.  Train 
ing  the  Limbs.  Attention  to  the  Soil.  Manuring.  Filberts 
Figs.  Currants.  Gooseberries.  Raspberries.  Strawberries. 
Grapes.  To  Preserve  Fruit;  Modes  of  Preserving  Fruit-Trees. 
Fire  Blight.  Worms, 34 


24  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XXXVII. 

MISCELLANEOUS     DIRECTIONS. 

Women  should  know  how  to  take  proper  Care  of  Domestic  Am 
nials.  Care  of  a  Horse.  Care  of  a  Cow.  Poultry.  Cautions 
for  Winter.  Smoky  Chimneys.  House-Cleaning.  Parties 
Invitations.  Comfort  of  Guests.  Flower-Baskets.  Fire-Boards. 
Water-proofShoes.  Earthen  Ware.  Cements,  &c.  &c.  .  .  351 

NOTE. — Cooking,  .    .    .    .    , 354 

GLOSSARY,        355 

IWDEX,  371 


LIST  OF  ENGRAVINGS. 

1.  The  Human  Skeleton,  showing  the  Connection  of  the  Bone* 

of  the  System, 70 

2,  3,  4.    The  Cervical,  Dorsal,  and  Lumbar,  Vertebrae,     ...    72 
5.     Muscles  of  the  Arm, 74 

6  Vertical  Section  of  the  Skull  and  Spinal  Column,  side  view,  77 

7  View  of  the  same  as  seen  from  behind,       77 

8.     Ramifications  of  the  Nerves, 79 

9,10,11.     Natural  and  Distorted  Spines,     .     .     .    i   ,i    ;;    .     .  81 

12.  Vascular  System,  or  Blood- Vessels, 82 

13.  The  Two  Sides  of  the  Heart,  separated, 85 

14.  The  Heart,  with  its  two  Sides  united,  as  in  Nature,      ...  86 

15.  The  Heart,  with  the  great  Blood- Vessels,  on  a  larger  scale,  .  87 

16.  Organs  of  Digestion  and  Respiration, 88 

17.  Elevation  of  a  Cottage  of  Fine  Proportions, 262 

.18.  Ground-plan  of  the  same,     .     .               ....    w    ,..  262 

19.  Arrangement  of  one  Side  of  a  Room,     .     .    >    .    .     .     .     .  263 

20.  Fireplace  and  Mantelpiece, 265 

21.  Elevation  of  a  Cottage  on  a  different  Plan  from  the  former,  265 

22.  Ground-plan  of  the  same,  26G 

23.  24      Ground-plan  and  Second  Story  of  a  two-story  Cottage,    267 

25.  Front  Elevation  of  the  latter  Cottage, 268 

26.  Front  Elevation,  on  a  different  Plan, 268 

27.  28.     Plans  of  First  and  Second  Stories  of  the  latter  Elevation,  269 
29,  30.     Plans  of  First  and  Second  Stories  of  a  larger  House,  .     .  270 

31.  Front  Elevation  of  a  very  convenient  Cottage, 271 

32.  Ground-plan  of  the  same,         272 

33.  Cottage  of  Daniel  Wadsworth,  Esq.,  near  Hartford,  Conn.,  274 

34.  Accommodations  for  securing  Water  with  the  least  Labor,  .  275 

35.  Back-door  Accommodations, 276 

36.  Latticed  Portico, 277 

37.  Slidiiwr  Closet,  or  Dumb  Waiter, 278 

38.  Cheap  Couch, 312 

39.  Plan  of  a  Flower-Bed,      ...  334 

40.  Budding, 343 

41.  Grafting, 344 

42.  Stock- Grafting, 345 


DOMESTIC    ECONOMY. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE    PECULIAR.  RESPONSIBILITIES    OF    AMERICAN   WOMEN. 

THERE  are  some  reasons,  why  American  women  should 
feel  an  interest  in  the  support  of  the  democratic  institu- 
tions of  their  Country,  which  it  is  important  that  they 
should  consider.  The  great  maxim,  which  is  the  basis 
of  all  our  civil  and  political  institutions,  is,  that  "  all  men 
are  created  equal,"  and  that  they  are  equally  entitled  to 
"  life,  liberty,  and  the  pursuit  of  happiness." 

But  it  can  readily  be  seen,  that  this  is  only  another 
mode  of  expressing  the  fundamental  principle  which  the 
Great  Ruler  of  the  Universe  has  established,  as  the  law 
of  His  eternal  government.  "  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neigh- 
bor as  thyself; "  and  "  Whatsoever  ye  would  that  men 
should  do  to  you,  do  ye  even  so  to  them,"  are  the  Scrip- 
ture forms,  by  which  the  Supreme  Lawgiver  requires 
that  each  individual  of  our  race  shall  regard  the  happi- 
ness of  others,  as  of  the  same  value  as  his  own ;  and 
which  forbid  any  institution,  in  private  or  civil  life,  which 
secures  advantages  to  one  class,  by  sacrificing  the  inter- 
ests of  another. 

The  principles  of  democracy,  then,  are  identical  with 
the  principles  of  Christianity. 

But,  in  order  that  each  individual  may  pursue  ana 
secure  the  highest  degree  of  happiness  within  his  reach, 
unimpeded  by  the  selfish  interests  of  others,  a  system  of 
laws  must  be  established,  which  sustain  certain  relations 
and  dependencies  in  social  and  civil  life.  What  these 
"elations  and  their  attending  obligations  shall  be,  are  to 
3 


26  PECULIAR    RESPONSIBILITIES 

be  determined,  not  with  reference  to  the  wishes  and  in- 
terests of  a  few,  but  solely  with  reference  to  the  general 
good  of  all ;  so  that  each  individual  shall  have  his 
own  interest,  as  well  as  the  public  benefit,  secured  by 
them. 

For  this  purpose,' it  is  needful  that  certain  relations 
be  sustained,  which  involve  the  duties  of  subordination. 
There  must  be  the  magistrate  and  the  subject,  one  of 
whom  is  the  superior,  and  the  other  the  inferior.  There 
must  be  the  relations  of  husband  and  wife,  parent  and 
child,  teacher  and  pupil,  employer  and  employed,  each 
involving  the  relative  duties  of  subordination.  The  su- 
perior, in  certain  particulars,  is  to  direct,  and  the  in- 
ferior is  to  yield  obedience.  Society  could  never  go 
\^  forward,  harmoniously,  nor  could  any  craft  or  profession 
be  successfully  pursued,  unless  these  superior  and  sub- 
ordinate relations  be  instituted  and  sustained. 

But  who  shall  take  the  higher,  and  who  the  subordi- 
nate, stations  in  social  and  civil  life  ?  This  matter,  in 
the  case  of  parents  and  children,  is  decided  by  the  Cre- 
ator. He  has  given  children  to  the  control  of  parents, 
as  their  superiors,  and  to  them  they  remain  subordinate, 
to  a  certain  age,  or  so  long  as  they  are  members  of  their 
household.  And  parents  can  delegate  such  a  portion 
of  their  authority  to  teachers  and  employers,  as  the 
interests  of  their  children  require. 

In  most  other  cases,  in  a  truly  democratic  state,  each 
individual  is  allowed  to  choose  for  himself,  who  shall 
\  take  the  position  of  his  superior.  No  woman  is  forced 
to  obey  any  husband  but  the  one  she  chooses  for  her- 
self ;  nor  is  she  obliged  to  take  a  husband,  if  she  prefers 
to  remain  single.  So  every  domestic,  and  every  artisan 
or  laborer,  after  passing  from  parental  control,  can  choose 
the  employer  to  whom  he  is  to  accord  obedience,  or,  if 
he  prefers  to  relinquish  certain  advantages,  he  can  remain 
without  taking  a  subordinate  place  to  any  employer. 

Each  subject,  also,  has  equal  power  with  every  other, 
to  decide  who  shall  be  his  superior  as  a  ruler.  The 
weakest,  the  poorest,  the  most  illiterate,  has  the  same 


OF    AMERICAN    WOMEN.  27 

opportunity  to  determine  this  question,  as  the  richest, 
the  most  learned,  and  the  most  exalted. 

And  the  various  privileges  that  wealth  secures,  are 
equally  open  to  all  classes.  Every  man  may  aim  at 
riches,  unimpeded  by  any  law  or  institution  which  se- 
cures peculiar  privileges  to  a  favored  class,  at  the  expense 
of  another.  Every  law,  and  every  institution,  is  tested 
by  examining  whether  it  secures  equal  advantages  to  all ; 
and,  if  the  people  become  convinced  that  any  regula- 
tion sacrifices  the  good  of  the  majority  to  the  interests 
of  the  smaller  number,  they  have  power  to  abolish  it. 

The  institutions  of  monarchical  and  aristocratic  na- 
tions are  based  on  precisely  opposite  principles.  They 
secure,  to  certain  small  and  favored  classes,  advantages, 
which  can  be  maintained,  only  by  sacrificing  the  inter- 
ests of  the  great  mass  of  the  people.  Thus,  the  throne 
and  aristocracy  of  England  are  supported  by  laws  and 
customs,  which  burden  the  lower  classes  with  taxes,  so 
enormous,  as  to  deprive  them  of  all  the  luxuries,  and  of 
most  of  the  comforts,  of  life.  Poor  dwellings,  scanty 
food,  unhealthy  employments,  excessive  labor,  and  en 
tire  destitution  of  the  means  and  time  for  education,  are 
appointed  for  the  lower  classes,  that  a  few  may  live  in 
palaces,  and  riot  in  every  indulgence. 

The  tendencies  of  democratic  institutions,  in  reference 
to  the  rights  and  interests  of  the  female  sex,  have  been 
fully  developed  in  the  United  States ;  and  it  is  in  this 
aspect,  that  the  subject  is  one  of  peculiar  interest  to 
American  women.  In  this  Country,  it  is  established, 
both  by  opinion  and  by  practice,  that  woman  has  an 
equal  interest  in  all  social  and  civil  concerns  ;  and  that 
no  domestic,  civil,  or  political,  institution,  is  right,  which 
sacrifices  her  interest  to  promote  that  of  the  other  sex. 
But  in  order  to  secure  her  the  more  firmly  in  all  these 
privileges,  it  is  decided,  that,  in  the  domestic  relation, 
she  take  a  subordinate  station,  and  that,  in  civil  and  po- 
litical concerns,  her  interests  be  intrusted  to  the  other 
sex,  without  her  taking  any  part  in  voting,  or  in  making 
and  administering  laws  The  result  of  this  order  of 


28  PECULIAR    RESPONSIBILITIES 

things  has  been  fairly  tested,  and  is  thus  portrayed  by 
M.  De  Tocqueville,  a  writer,  who,  for  intelligence,  fidel- 
ity, and  ability,  ranks  second  to  none. 

"  There  are  people  in  Europe,  who,  confounding  to- 
gether the  different  characteristics  of  the  sexes,  would 
make  of  man  and  woman,  beings  not  only  equal,  but 
alike.  They  would  give  to  both  the  same  functions, 
impose  on  both  the  same  duties,  and  grant  to  both  the 
same  rights.  They  would  mix  them  in  all  things, — 
their  business,  their  occupations,  their  pleasures.  It 
may  readily  be  conceived,  that,  by  thus  attempting  to 
make  one  sex  equal  to  the  other,  both  are  degraded ; 
and,  from  so  preposterous  a  medley  of  the  works  of 
Nature,  nothing  could  ever  result,  but  weak  men  and 
disorderly  women. 

"It  is  not  thus  that  the  Americans  understand  the 
species  of  democratic  equality,  which  may  be  established 
between  the  sexes.  They  admit,  that,  as  Nature  has 
appointed  such  wide  differences  between  the  physical 
and  moral  constitutions  of  man  and  woman,  her  mani- 
fest design  was,  to  give  a  distinct  employment  to  their 
various  faculties  ;  and  they  hold,  that  improvement  does 
not  consist  in  making  beings  so  dissimilar  do  pretty 
nearly  the  same  thirigs,  but  in  getting  each  of  them  to 
fulfil  their  respective  tasks,  in  the  best  possible  manner. 
The  Americans  have  applied  to  the  sexes  the  great 
principle  of  political  economy,  which  governs  the  man- 
ufactories of  our  age,  by  carefully  dividing  the  duties 
of  man  from  those  of  woman,  in  order  that  the  great 
work  of  society  may  be  the  better  carried  on. 

"In  no  country  has  such  constant  care  been  taken, 
as  in  America,  to  trace  two  clearly  distinct  lines  of  ac- 
tion for  the  two  sexes,  and  to  make  them  keep  pace 
one  with  the  other,  but  in  two  pathways  which  are 
always  different.  American  women  never  manage  the 
outward  concerns  of  the  family,  or  conduct  a  business, 
or  take  a  part  in  political  life;  nor  are  they,  on  the 
other  hand,  ever  compelled  to  perform  the  rough  labor 
of  the  fields,  or  to  make  any  of  those  laborious  exertions, 


OF    AMERICAN    WOMEN.  29 

which  demand  the  exertion  of  physical  strength.  No 
families  are  so  poor,  as  to  form  an  exception  to  this  rule. 

"  If,  on  the  one  hand,  an  American  woman  cannot 
escape  from  the  quiet  circle  of  domestic  employments, 
on  the  other  hand,  she  is  never  forced  to  go  beyond  it. 
tfjence  it  is,  that  the  women  of  America,  who  often 
exHibit  a  masculine  strength  of  understanding,  and  a 
manly  energy,  generally  preserve  great  delicacy  of  per- 
sonal appearance,  and  always  retain  the  manners  of 
women,  although  they  sometimes  show  that  they  have 
the  hearts  and  minds  of  menj 

"  Nor  have  the  Americans  ever  supposed,  that  one 
consequence  of  democratic  principles,  is,  the  subversion 
of  marital  power,  or  the  confusion  of  the  natural  au- 
thorities in  families.  They  hold,  that  every  association 
must  have  a  head,  in  order  to  accomplish  its  object; 
and  that  the  natural  head  of  the  conjugal  association  is 
man.  They  do  not,  therefore,  deny  him  the  right  of 
directing  his  partner ;  and  they  maintain,  that,  in  the 
smaller  association  of  husband  and  wife,  as  well  as  in 
the  great  social  community,  the  object  of  democracy  is, 
to  regulate  and  legalize  the  powers  which  are  necessary, 
not  to  subvert  all  power. 

"  This  opinion  is  not  peculiar  to  one  sex,  and  con- 
tested by  the  other.  I  never  observed,  that  the  women 
of  America  considered  conjugal  authority  as  a  fortunate 
usurpation  df  their  rights,  nor  that  they  thought  them- 
selves degraded  by  submitting  to  it.  It  appears  to  me, 
on  the  contrary,  that  they  attach  a  sort  of  pride  to  the 
voluntary  surrender  of  their  own  will,  and  make  it  their 
boast  to  bend  themselves  to  the  yoke,  not  to  shake  it 
off.  Such,  at  least,  is  the  feeling  expressed  by  the  most 
virtuous  of  their  sex ;  the  others  are  silent ;  and  in  the 
United  States  it  is  not  the  practice  for  a  guilty  wife  to 
clamor  for  the  rights  of  woman,  while  she  is  trampling 
on  her  holiest  duties." 

"Although  the  travellers,  who  have  visited  North 
America,  differ  on  a  great  number  of  points,  they  agree 
in  remarking,  that  morals  are  far  more  strict,  there,  than 
3*  r>  E 


30  PECULIAR    RESPONSIBILITIES 

elsewhere.*  It  is  evident  that,  on  this  point,  the  Ameri- 
cans are  very  superior  to  their  progenitors,  the  English." 
"  In  England,  as  in  all  other  Countries  of  Europe,  puo- 
lic  malice  is  constantly  attacking  the  frailties  of  women. 
Philosophers  and  statesmen  are  heard  to  deplore,  that 
morals  are  not  sufficiently  strict ;  and  the  literary  pro- 
ductions of  the  Country  constantly  lead  one  to  suppose 
so.  In  America,  all  books,  novels  not  excepted,  sup- 
pose women  to  be  chaste ;  and  no  one  thinks  of  relating 
affairs  of  gallantry." 

"  It  has  often  been  remarked,  that,  in  Europe,  a  cer- 
tain degree  of  contempt  lurks,  even  in  the  flattery  which 
men  lavish  upon  women.  Although  a  European  fre- 
quently affects  to  be  the  slave  of  woman,  it  may  be  seen, 
that  he  never  sincerely  thinks  her  his  equal,  f  In  the 
United  States,  men  seldom  compliment  women,  but  they 
daily  show  how  much  they  esteem  them.  They  con- 
stantly display  an  entire  confidence  in  the  understand- 
ing of  a  wife,  and  a  profound  respect  for  her  freedom. 

*  Miss  Martineau  is  a  singular  exception  to  this  remark.  After 
receiving  unexampled  hospitalities  and  kindnesses,  she  gives  the  fol- 
lowing picture  of  her  entertainers.  Having  in  other  places  spoken 
of  the  American  woman  as  having  "  her  intellect  confined,"  and  "  her 
morals  crushed,"  and  as  deficient  in  education,  because  she  has 
"  none  of  the  objects  in  life  for  which  an  enlarged  education  is  con- 
sidered requisite,"  she  says, — "  It  is  assumed,  in  America,  particularly 
in  New  England,  that  the  morals  of  society  there  are  peculiarly  pure. 
I  am  grieved  to  doubt  the  fact;  but  I  do  doubt  it."  "The  Auld- 
Robin-Gray  story  is  a  frequently-enacted  tragedy  here  ;  and  one  of  the 
worst  symptoms  that  struck  me,  was,  that  there  was  usually  a  demand 
upon  my  sympathy  in  such  cases." — "  The  unavoidable  consequence 
of  such  a  mode  of  marrying,  is,  that  the  sanctity  of  marriage  is 
impaired,  and  that  vice  succeeds.  There  are  sad  tales  in  country 
villages,  here  and  there,  that  attest  this;  and  yet  more  in  towns,  in 
a  rank  of  society  where  such  things  are  seldom  or  never  heard  of 
in  England." — "  I  unavoidably  knew  of  more  cases  of  lapse  in  highly 
respectable  families  in  one  State,  than  ever  came  to  my  knowledge 
at  home  ;  and  they  were  got  over  with  a  disgrace  far  more  temporary 
and  superficial  than  they  could  have  been  visited  with  in  England." 
— "  The  vacuity  of  mind  of  many  women,  is,  1  conclude,  the  cause  of 
a  vice,  which  it  is  painful  to  allude  to,  but  which  cannot  honestly  be 
passed  over. — It  is  no  secret  on  the  spot,  that  the  habit,  of  intemper- 
\nce  is  not  infrequent  among  women  of  station  and  education  in  the 
most  enlightened  parts  of  the  Country.  I  witnessed  some  instances, 
tnd  heard  of  more.  It  does  not  seem  to  me  to  be  regarded  with  all 
fhe  dismay  which  such  a  symptom  ought  to  excite.  To  the  stranger, 


OF    AMERICAN    WOMEN.  31 

They  have  decided  that  her  mind  is  just  as  fitted  as  that 
of  a  man  to  discover  the  plain  truth,  and  her  heart  as 
firm  to  embrace  it,  and  they  have  never  sought  to  place 
her  viitue,  any  more  than  his,  under  the  shelter  of 
prejudice,  ignorance,  and  fear. 

"  It  would  seem,  that  in  Europe,  where  man  so  easily 
submits  to  the  despotic  sway  of  woman,  they  are  never- 
theless curtailed  of  some  of  the  greatest  qualities  of  the 
human  species,  and  considered  as  seductive,  but  imper- 
fect beings,  and  (what  may  well  provoke  astonishment) 
women  ultimately  look  upon  themselves  in  the  same 
light,  arid  almost  consider  it  as  a  privilege  that  they  are 
entitled  to  show  themselves  futile,  feeble,  and  timid. 
The  women  of  America  claim  no  such  privileges." 

"It  is  true,  that  the  Americans  rarely  lavish  upor 
women  those  eager  attentions  which  are  commonly  paid 

a  novelty  so  horrible,  a  spectacle  so  fearful,  suggests  wide  and  deep 
subjects  of  investigation." 

It  is  not  possible  for  language  to  give  representations  more  false  in 
every  item.  In  evidence  of  this,  the  writer  would  mention,  that, 
within  the  last  few  years,  she  has  travelled  almost  the  entire  route 
taken  by  Miss  Martineau,  except  the  lower  tier  of  the  Southern 
States ;  and,  though  not  meeting  the  same  individuals,  has  mingled  in 
the  very  same  circles.  Moreover,  she  has  resided  from  several  months 
to  several  years  in  eight  of  the  different  Northern  and  Western 
States,  and  spent  several  weeks  at  a  time  in  five  other  States.  She 
has  also  had  pupils  from  every  State  in  the  Union,  but  two,  and  has 
visited  extensively  at  their  houses.  But  in  her  whole  life,  and  in  all 
these  different  positions,  the  writer  has  never,  to  her  knowledge,  seen 
even  one  woman,  of  the  classes  with  which  she  has  associated,  who 
had  lapsed  in  the  manner  indicated  by  Miss  Martineau  ;  nor  does  she 
believe  that  such  a  woman  could  find  admission  in  such  circles  any 
where  in  the  Country.  As  to  intemperate  women,  jive  cases  are  all 
of  whom  the  writer  has  ever  heard,  in  such  circles,  and  two  of  these 
many  believed  to  be  unwarrantably  suspected.  After  following  in 
Miss  Martineau's  track,  and  discovering  all  the  falsehood,  twaddle, 
gossip,  old  saws,  and  almanac  stories,  which  have  been  strung  togethej 
in  her  books,  no  charitable  mode  of  accounting  for  the  medley  re- 
mains, but  to  suppose  her  the  pitiable  dupe  of  that  love  of  hoaxing 
so  often  found  in  our  Country. 

Again;  Miss  Martineau  says,  "  We  passed  an  unshaded  meadow, 
where  the  grass  had  caught  fire,  every  day,  at  eleven  o'clock,  the  pre- 
ceding Summer.  This  demonstrates  the  necessity  of  shade"!  A 
woman,  with  so  little  common  sense,  as  to  swallow  such  an.  absurdity 
for  truth,  and  then  tack  to  it  such  an  astute  deduction,  must  he  a  tempt- 
ing subject  for  the  abovementioned  mischievous  propensity. 


32  PECULIAR    RESPONSIBILITIES 

them  in  Europe.  But  their  conduct  to  women  always 
implies,  that  they  suppose  them  to  be  virtuous  and  re- 
fined ;  and  such  is  the  respect  entertained  for  the  moral 
freedom  of  the  sex,  that,  in  the  presence  of  a  woman, 
the  most  guarded  language  is  used,  lest  her  ear  should 
be  offended  by  an  expression.  In  America,  a  young 
unmarried  woman  may,  alone,  and  without  fear,  under- 
take a  long  journey." 

"Thus  the  Americans  do  not  think  that  man  and 
woman  have  either  the  duty,  or  the  right,  to  perform 
the  same  offices,  but  they  show  an  equal  regard  for 
both  their  respective  parts;  and,  though  their  lot  is 
different,  they  consider  both  of  them,  as  beings  of  equal 
value.  They  do  not  give  to  the  courage  of  woman  the 
same  form,  or  the  same  direction,  as  to  that  of  man ; 
but  they  never  doubt  her  courage:  and  if  they  hold 
that  man  and  his  partner  ought  not  always  to  exercise 
their  intellect  and  understanding  in  the  same  manner 
they  at  least  believe  the  understanding  of  the  one  to  be 
as  sound  as  that  of  the  other,  and  her  intellect  to  be  as 
clear.  Thus,  then,  while  they  have  allowed  the  social 
inferiority  of  woman  to  subsist,  they  have  done  all  they 
could  to  raise  her,  morally  and  intellectually,  to  the 
level  of  man ;  and,  in  this  respect,  they  appear  to  me 
to  have  excellently  understood  the  true  principle  ol 
democratic  improvement. 

("As  for  myself,  I  do  not  hesitate  to  avow,  that, 
although  the  women  of  the  United  States  are  confined 
within  the  narrow  circle  of  domestic  life,  and  their  situ- 
ation is,  in  some  respects,  one  of  extreme  dependence, 
I  have  nowhere  seen  women  occupying  a  loftier  position ; 
and  if  I  were  asked,  now  I  am  drawing  to  the  close  of 
this  work,  in  which  I  have  spoken  of  so  many  important 
things  done  by  the  Americans,  to  what  the  singular 
prosperity  and  growing  strength  of  that  people  ought 
mainly  to  be  attributed,  I  should  reply, — to  the  superi- 
ority of  their  women.^j 

This  testimony  of  a  foreigner,  who  has  had  abundant 
opportunities  of  making  a  comparison,  is  sanctioned  by 


OF    AMERICAN    WOMEN.  33 

the  assent  of  all  candid  and  intelligent  men,  who  have 
enjoyed  similar  opportunities. 

It  appears,  then,  that  it  is  in  America,  alone,  thai 
women  are  raised  to  an  equality  with  the  other  sex 
and  that,  both  in  theory  and  practice,  their  interests  are  , 
regarded  as  of  equal  value.     They  are  made  subordi-  ' 
nate  in  station,  only  where  a  regard  to  their  best  inter- 
ests demands  it,  while,  as  if  in  compensation  for  this, 
by  custom  and  courtesy,  they  are  always  treated   as 
superiors.     Universally,  in  this  Country,  through  every 
class  of  society,  precedence  is  given  to  woman,  in  all 
the  comforts,  conveniences,  and  courtesies,  of  life. 

In  civil  and  political  affairs,  American  women  take 
no  interest  or  concern,  except  so  far  as  they  sympathize 
with  their  family  and  personal  friends ;  but  in  all  cases, 
in  which  they  do  feel  a  concern,  their  opinions  and 
feelings  have  a  consideration,  equal,  or  even  superior, 
to  that  of  the  other  sex. 

V  In  matters  pertaining  to  the  education  of  their  chil- 
dren, in  the  selection  and  support  of  a  clergyman,  in  all 
benevolent  enterprises,  and  in  all  questions  relating  to 
morals  or  manners,  they  have  a  superior  influence.  In 
such  concerns,  it  would  be  impossible  to  carry  a  point, 
contrary  to  their  judgement  and  feelings;  while  an 
enterprise,  sustained  by  them,  will  seldom  fail  of 
success.^ 

If  those  who  are  bewailing  themselves  over  the  fan- 
cied wrongs  and  injuries  of  women  in  this  Nation,  could 
only  see  things  as  they  are,  they  would  know,  that, 
whatever  remnants  of  a  barbarous  or  aristocratic  age 
may  remain  in  our  civil  institutions,  in  reference  to  the 
interests  of  women,  it  is  only  because  they  are  ignorant 
of  them,  or  do  not  use  their  influence  to  have  them  rec- 
tified ;  for  it  is  very  certain  that  there  is  nothing  reason 
able,  which  American  women  would  unite  in  asking, 
that  would  not  readily  be  bestowed. 

The  preceding  remarks,  then,  illustrate  the  position, 
that  the  democratic  institutions  of  this  Country  are  in 


34  PECULIAR   RESPONSIBILITIES 

reality  no  other  than  the  principles  of  Christianity  car- 
ried into  operation,  and  that  they  tend  to  place  woman 
in  her  true  position  in  society,  as  having  equal  rights 
with  the  other  sex ;  and  that,  in  fact,  they  have  secured 
to  American  women  a  lofty  and  fortunate  position, 
which,  as  yet,  has  been  attained  by  the  women  of  no 
other  nation. 

There  is  another  topic,  presented  in  the  work  of  the 
ibove  author,  which  demands  the  profound  attention 
of  American  women. 

The  following  is  taken  from  that  part  of  the  Intro- 
duction to  the  work,  illustrating  the  position,  that,  for 
ages,  there  has  been  a  constant  progress,  in  all  civilized 
nations,  towards  the  democratic  equality  attained  in 
this  Country. 

"  The  various  occurrences  of  national  existence  have 
every  where  turned  to  the  advantage  of  democracy ;  all 
men  have  aided  it  by  their  exertions ;  those  who  have 
intentionally  labored  in  its  cause,  and  those  who  have 
served  it  unwittingly  ;  those  who  have  fought  for  it,  and 
those  who  have  declared  themselves  its  opponents,  have 
all  been  driven  along  in  the  same  track,  have  all  labored 
to  one  end ; "  "all  have  been  blind  instruments  in  the 
hands  of  God." 

"  The  gradual  developement  of  the  equality  of  con- 
ditions, is,  therefore,  a  Providential  fact ;  and  it  pos- 
sesses all  the  characteristics  of  a  Divine  decree :  it  is 
universal,  it  is  durable,  it  constantly  eludes  all  human 
interference,'  and  all  events,  as  well  as  all  men,  contrib 
ute  to  its  progress." 

"  The  whole  book,  which  is  here  offered  to  the  pub 
lie,  has  been  written  under  the  impression  of  a  kind  of 
religious  dread,  produced  in  the  author's  mind,  by  the 
contemplation  of  so  irresistible  a  revolution,  which  has 
advanced  for  centuries,  in  spite  of  such  amazing  obsta- 
cles, and  which  is  still  proceeding  in  the  midst  of  the 
ruins  it  has  made. 

"  Tt  is  not  necessary  that  God  Himself  should  speak, 


OF    AMERICAN    WOMEN.  35 

tn  order  to  disclose  to  us  the  unquestionible  signs  of 
His  will.  We  can  discern  them  in  the  habitual  course 
of  Nature,  and  in  the  invariable  tendency  of  events." 

"  If  the  men  of  our  time  were  led,  by  attentive  ob- 
servation, and  by  sincere  reflection,  to  acknowledge 
that  the  gradual  and  progressive  developement  of  social 
equality  is  at  once  the  past  and  future  of  their  history, 
this  solitary  truth  would  confer  the  sacred  character  of 
a  Divine  decree  upon  the  change.  To  attempt  to 
check  democracy,  would  be,  in  that  case,  to  resist  the 
will  of  God  ;  and  the  nations  would  then  be  constrained 
to  make  the  best  of  the  social  lot  awarded  to  them  by 
Providence." 

"  It  is  not,  then,  merely  to  satisfy  a  legitimate  curi- 
osity, that  I  have  examined  America ;  my  wish  has  been 
to  find  instruction  by  which  we  may  ourselves  profit." 
"  I  have  not  even  affected  to  discuss  whether  the  social 
revolution,  which  I  believe  to  be  irresistible,  is  advanta- 
geous or  prejudicial  to  mankind.  I  have  acknowledged 
this  revolution,  as  a  fact  already  accomplished,  or  on 
the  eve  of  its  accomplishment ;  and  I  have  selected  the 
nation,  from  among  those  which  have  undergone  it,  in 
which  its  developement  has  been  the  most  peaceful  and 
the  most  complete,  in  order  to  discern  its  natural  con- 
sequences, and,  if  it  be  possible,  to  distinguish  the 
means  by  which  it  may  be  rendered  profitable.  I 
confess,  that  in  America  I  saw  more  than  America ;  I 
sought  the  image  of  democracy  itself,  with  its  inclina- 
tions, its  character,  its  prejudices,  and  its  passions,  in 
order  to  learn  what  we  have  to  fear,  or  to  hope,  from 
its  progress." 

It  thus  appears,  that  the  sublime  and  elevating  an-* 
ticipations  which  have  filled  the  mind  and  heart  of  the? 
religious  world,  have  become  so  far  developed,  that 
philosophers  and  statesmen  are  perceiving  the  signs, 
and  are  predicting  the  approach,  of  the  same  grand  con- 
summation. There  is  a  day  advancing,  "  by  seers  pre- 
dicted, and  by  poets  sung,"  when  the  curse  of  selfish- 
ness shall  be  removed  ;  when  "  scenes  surpassing  fable. 


36  PECULIAR    RESPONSIBILITIES 

and  yet  true,"  shall  be  realized ;  when  all  nations  shall 
rejoice  and  be  made  blessed,  under  those  benevolent 
influences,  which  the  Messiah  came  to  establish  on 
earth. 

And  this  is  the  Country,  which  the  Disposer  of 
events  designs  shall  go  forth  as  the  cynosure  of  nations, 
to  guide  them  to  the  light  and  blessedness  of  that  day. 
To  us  is  committed  the  grand,  the  responsible  privilege, 
of  exhibiting  to  the  world,  the  beneficent  influences  of 
Christianity,  when  carried  into  every  social,  civil,  and 
political  institution ;  and,  though  we  have,  as  yet,  made 
such  imperfect  advances,  already  the  light  is  streaming 
into  the  dark  prison-house  of  despotic  lands,  while 
startled  kings  and  sages,  philosophers  and  statesmen, 
are  watching  us  with  that  interest,  which  a  career  so 
illustrious,  and  so  involving  their  own  destiny,  is  calcu- 
lated to  excite.  They  are  studying  our  institutions, 
scrutinizing  our  experience,  and  watching  for  our  mis- 
takes, that  they  may  learn  whether  "a  social  revolu- 
tion, so  irresistible,  be  advantageous  or  prejudicial  to 
mankind." 

There  are  persons,  who  regard  these  interesting 
truths  merely  as  food  for  national  vanity;  but  every 
reflecting  and  Christian  mind,  must  consider  it  as 
an  occasion  for  solemn  and  anxious  reflection.  Are 
we,  then,  a  spectacle  to  the  world  ?  Has  the  Eternal 
Lawgiver  appointed  us  to  work  out  a  problem,  in- 
volving the  destiny  of  the  whole  earth  ?  Are  such 
momentous  interests  to  be  advanced  or  retarded,  just 
in  proportion  as  we  are  faithful  to  our  high  trust  i 
"  What  manner  of  persons,  then,  ought  we  to  be,7' 
^n  attempting  to  sustain  so  solemn,  so  glorious  a  re 
sponsibility  ? 

But  the  part  to  be  enacted  by  American  women,  in 
this  great  moral  enterprise,  is  the  point  to  which  special 
attention  should  here  be  directed. 

/The  success  of  democratic  institutions,  as  is  con- 
certed by  all,  depends  upon  the  intellectual  and  moral 
character  of  the  mass  of  the  people.  If  they  are  intel- 


OF    AMERICAN    WOMEN.  37 

ligent  and  virtuous,  democracy  is  a  blessing;  but  if 
they  are  ignorant  and  wicked,  it  is  only  a  curse,  and  as 
much  more  dreadful  than  any  other  form  of  civil  gov- 
ernment, as  a  thousand  tyrants  are  more  to  be  dreaded 
than  one^>  It  is  equally  conceded,  that  the  formation 
of  the  moral  and  intellectual  character  of  the  young  is 
committed  mainly  to  the  female  hand.  The  mother 
forms  the  character  of  the  future  man  ;  the  sister  bends 
the  fibres  that  are  hereafter  to  be  the  forest  tree ;  the 
wife  sways  the  heart,  whose  energies  may  turn  for  good 
or  for  evil  the  destinies  of  a  nation.  Let  the  women  of 
a  country  be  made  virtuous  and  intelligent,  and  the  men 
will  certainly  be  the  same.  The  proper  education  of  a 
man  decides  the  welfare  of  an  individual ;  but  educate 
a  woman,  and  the  interests  of  a  whole  family  are 
secured. 

~  If  this  be  so,  as  none  will  deny,  then  to  American 
women,  more  than  to  any  others  on  earth,  is  committed 
the  exalted  privilege  of  extending  over  the  world  those 
blessed  influences,  which  are  to  renovate  degraded  man, 
and  "  clothe  all  climes  with  beauty." 

No  American  woman,  then,  has  any  occasion  for 
feeling  that  hers  is  an  humble  or  insignificant  lot. 
The  value  of  what  an  individual  accomplishes,  is  to  be 
estimated  by  the  importance  of  the  enterprise  achieved, 
and  not  by  the  particular  position  of  the  laborer.  The 
drops  of  heaven  which  freshen  the  earth,  are  each  of 
equal  value,  whether  they  fall  in  the  lowland  meadow, 
or  the  princely  parterre.  The  builders  of  a  temple  are 
of  equal  importance,  whether  they  labor  on  the  founda- 
tions, or  toil  upon  the  dome. 

Thus,  also,  with  those  labors  which  are  to  be  made 
effectual  in  the  regeneration  of  the  Earth.  And  it  is 
by  forming  a  habit  of  regarding  the  apparently  insignif- 
icant efforts  of  each  isolated  laborer,  in  a  comprehensive 
manner,  as  indispensable  portions  of  a  grand  result,  that 
the  minds  of  all,  however  humble  their  sphere  of  ser 
vice,  can  be  invigorated  and  cheered.  The  woman, 
4  D.  E 


38  DIFFICULTIES    PECULIAR 

who  is  rearing  a  family  of  children ;  the  woman,  who 
labors  in  the  schoolroom ;  the  woman,  who,  in  her  re- 
tired chamber,  earns,  with  her  needle,  the  mite,  which 
contributes  to  the  intellectual  and  moral  elevation  of 
her  Country ;  even  the  humble  domestic,  whose  exam- 
ple and  influence  may  be  moulding  and  forming  young 
minds,  while  her  faithful  services  sustain  a  prosperous 
domestic  state ; — each  and  all  may  be  animated  by  the 
consciousness,  that  they  are  agents  in  accomplishing  the 
greatest  work  that  ever  was  committed  to  human  re- 
sponsibility. It  is  the  building  of  a  glorious  temple, 
whose  base  shall  be  coextensive  with  the  bounds  of  the 
earth,  whose  summit  shall  pierce  the  skies,  whose  splen- 
dor shall  beam  on  all  lands ;  and  those  who  hew  the 
lowliest  stone,  as  much  as  those  who  carve  the  highest 
capital,  will  be  equally  honored,  when  its  top-stone  shall 
be  laid,  with  new  rejoicings  of  the  morning  stars,  and 
shoutings  of  the  sons  of  God. 


CHAPTER  II. 

DIFFICULTIES    PECULIAR   TO    AMERICAN    WOMEN. 

-^' 

IN  the  preceding  chapter,  were  presented  those  views, 
which  are  calculated  to  inspire  American  women  with 
a  sense  of  their  high  responsibilities  to  their  Country, 
and  to  the  world ;  and  of  the  excellence  and  grandeur 
of  the  object  to  which  their  energies  may  be  conse<- 
crated. 

But  it  will  be  found  to  be  the  law  of  moral  action, 
that  whatever  involves  great  results  and  great  benefits, 
is  always  attended  with  great  hazards  and  difficulties. 
And  as  it  has  been  shown,  that  American  women  have 
a  loftier  position,  and  a  more  elevated  object  of  enter 
prise,  than  the  females  of  any  other  nation,  so  it  will 
appear,  that  they  have  greater  trials  and  difficulties  to 


TO    AMERICAN    WOMEN.  39 

overcome,   than  any  other  women  are  called    to  en 
counter. 

Properly  to  appreciate  the  nature  of  these  trials,  it 
must  be  borne  in  mind,  that  the  estimate  of  evils  and 
privations  depends,  not  so  much  on  their  positive  na- 
ture, as  on  the  character  and  habits  of  the  person  who 
meets  them.  A  woman,  educated  in  the  savage  state, 
finds  it  no  trial  to  be  destitute  of  many  conveniences, 
which  a  woman,  even  of  the  lowest  condition,  in  this 
Country,  would  deem  indispensable  to  existence.  So 
a  woman,  educated  with  the  tastes  and  habits  of  the 
best  New  England  or  Virginia  housekeepers,  would 
encounter  many  deprivations  and  trials,  which  would 
never  occur  to  one  reared  in  the  log  cabin  of  a  new 
settlement.  So,  also,  a  woman,  who  has  been  accus- 
tomed to  carry  forward  her  arrangements  with  well- 
trained  domestics,  would  meet  a  thousand  trials  to  her 
feelings  and  temper,  by  the  substitution  of  ignorant 
foreigners,  or  shiftless  slaves,  which  would  be  of  little 
account  to  one  who  had  never  enjoyed  any  better 
service. 

Now,  the  larger  portion  of  American  women  are  the 
descendants  of  English  progenitors,  who,  as  a  nation, 
are  distinguished  for  systematic  housekeeping,  and  for 
a  great  love  of  order,  cleanliness,  and  comfort.  And 
American  women,  to  a  greater  or  less  extent,  have  in- 
herited similar  tastes  and  habits.  But  the  prosperity 
and  democratic  tendencies  of  this  Country  produce 
results,  materially  affecting  the  comfort  .of  housekeep- 
ers, which  the  females  of  monarchical  and  aristocratic 
lands  are  not  called  to  meet.  In  such  countries,  all 
ranks  and  classes  are  fixed  in  a  given  position,  and  each 
person  is  educated  for  a  particular  sphere  and  style  of 
living.  And  the  dwellings,  conveniences,  and  customs 
of  life,  remain  very  nearly  the  same,  from  generation 
to  generation.  This  secures  the  preparation  of  all 
classes  for  their  particular  station,  and  makes  the  lower 
orders  more  dependent,  and  more  subservient  to  em 
ployers. 


40  DIFFICULTIES    PECULIAR 

But  how  different  is  the  state  of  things  in  this  Coim 
try.  Every  thing  is  moving  and  changing.  Persons 
in  poverty,  are  rising  to  opulence,  and  persons  of 
wealth,  are  sinking  to  poverty.  The  children  of  com 
mon  laborers,  by  their  talents  and  enterprise,  are  be- 
coming nobles  in  intellect,  or  wealth,  or  office  ;  while 
the  children  of  the  wealthy,  enervated  by  indulgence, 
are  sinking  to  humbler  stations.  The  sons  of  the 
wealthy  are  leaving  the  rich  mansions  of  their  fathers, 
to  dwell  in  the  log  cabins  of  the  forest,  where  very 
soon  they  bear  away  the  daughters  of  ease  and  refine- 
ment, to  share  the  privations  of  a  new  settlement. 
Meantime,  even  in  the  more  stationary  portions  of  the 
community,  there  is  a  mingling  of  all  grades  of  wealth, 
intellect,  and  education.  There  are  no  distinct  classes, 
as  in  aristocratic  lands,  whose  bounds  are  protected  by 
distinct  and  impassable  lines,  but  all  are  thrown  into 
promiscuous  masses.  Thus,  persons  of  humble  means 
are  brought  into  contact  with  those  of  vast  wealth, 
while  all  intervening  grades  are  placed  side  by  side. 
Thus,  too,  there  is  a  constant  comparison  of  conditions, 
among  equals,  and  a  constant  temptation  presented  to 
imitate  the  customs,  and  to  strive  for  the  enjoyments, 
of  those  who  possess  larger  means. 

In  addition  to  this,  the  flow  of  wealth,  among  all 
classes,  is  constantly  increasing  the  number  of  those 
who  live  in  a  style  demanding  much  hired  service, 
while  the  number  of  those,  who  are  compelled  to  go  to 
service,  is  constantly  diminishing.  Our  manufactories, 
also,  are  making  increased  demands  for  female  labor, 
and  offering  larger  compensation.  In  consequence  of 
these  things,  there  is  such  a  disproportion  between 
those  who  wish  to  hire,  and  those  who  are  willing  to  go 
to  domestic  service,  that,  in  the  non-slaveholding  States 
were  it  not  for  the  supply  of  poverty-stricken  foreigners, 
there  would  not  be  a  domestic  for  each  family  who  de 
mands  one.  And  this  resort  to  foreigners,  poor  as  it  is, 
scarcely  meets  the  demand;  while  the  disproportion 
must  every  year  increase,  especially  if  our  prosperity 


TO    AMERICAN    WOMEN.  4J 

increases.  For,  just  in  proportion  as  wealth  rolls  in 
upon  us,  the  number  of  those,  who  will  give  up  their 
own  independent  homes  to  serve  strangers,  will  be 
diminished. 

The  difficulties  and  sufferings,  which  have  accrued 
to  American  women,  from  this  cause,  are  almost  incal- 
culable. There  is  nothing,  which  so  much  demands 
system  and  regularity,  as  the  affairs  of  a  housekeeper, 
made  up,  as  they  are,  of  ten  thousand  desultory  and 
minute  items ;  and  yet,  this  perpetually  fluctuating  state 
of  society  seems  forever  to  bar  any  such  system  and 
regularity.  The  anxieties,  vexations,  perplexities,  and 
even  hard  labor,  which  come  upon  American  women, 
from  this  state  of  domestic  service,  are  endless;  and 
many  a  woman  has,  in  consequence,  been  disheartened, 
discouraged,  and  ruined  in  health.  The  only  wonder 
is,  that,  amid  so  many  real  difficulties,  American  women 
are  still  able  to  maintain  such  a  character  for  energy, 
fortitude,  and  amiableness,  as  is  universally  allowed  to 
be  their  due. 

But  the  second,  and  still  greater  difficulty,  peculiar 
to  American  women,  is,  a  delicacy  of  constitution, 
which  renders  them  early  victims  to  disease  and  decay. 

The  fact  that  the  women  of  this  Country  are  unu- 
sually subject  to  disease,  and  that  their  beauty  and 
youthfulness  are  of  shorter  continuance  than  those  of 
the  women  of  other  nations,  is  one  which  always  at 
tracts  the  attention  of  foreigners ;  while  medical  men 
and  philanthropists  are  constantly  giving  fearful  mo- 
nitions as  to  the  extent  and  alarming  increase  of  this 
evil.  Investigations  make  it  evident,  that  a  large  pro- 
portion of  young  ladies,  from  the  wealthier  classes,  have 
the  incipient  stages  of  curvature  of  the  spine,  one  of 
the  most  sure  and  fruitful  causes  of  future  disease  and  de- 
cay. The  writer  has  heard  medical  men,  who  have  made 
extensive  inquiries,  say,  that  a  very  large  proportion  of 
the  young  women  at  boarding  schools,  are  affected  in 
this  way,  while  many  other  indications  of  disease  and 
4  *  D.  E. 


2  DIFFICULTIES    PECULIAR 

debility  exist,  in  cases  where  this  particular  evil  cannot 
be  detected. 

In  consequence  of  this  enfeebled  state  of  their  con- 
stitutions, induced  by  a  neglect  of  their  physical  educa- 
tion, as  soon  as  they  are  called  to  the  responsibilities 
and  trials  of  domestic  life,  their  constitution  fails,  and 
their  whole  existence  is  rendered  a  burden.  For  no 
woman  can  enjoy  existence,  when  disease  throws  a  dark 
cloud  over  the  mind,  and  incapacitates  her  for  the  proper 
discharge  of  every  duty. 

The  writer,  who  for  some  ten  years  has  had  the  charge 
ol  an  institution,  consisting  of  young  ladies  from  almost 
every  State  in  the  Union,  since  relinquishing  that  charge, 
has  travelled  and  visited  extensively  in  most  of  the  non- 
slaveholding  States.  In  these  circuits,  she  has  learned 
the  domestic  history,  not  merely  of  her  pupils,  but  of* 
many  other  young  wives  and  mothers,  whose  sorrowful 
experience  has  come  to  her  knowledge.  And  the  im- 
pression, produced  by  the  dreadful  extent  of  this  evil,  has 
at  times  been  almost  overwhelming. 

It  would  seem  as  if  the  primeval  curse,  which  has 
written  the  doom  of  pain  and  sorrow  on  one  period  of 
a  young  mother's  life,  in  this  Country  had  been  extend- 
ed over  all ;  so  that  the  hour  seldom  arrives,  when  "  she 
forgetteth  her  sorrow  for  joy  that  a  man  is  born  into  the 
world."  Many  a  mother  will  testify,  with  shuddering, 
that  the  most  exquisite  sufferings  she  ever  endured,  were 
not  those  appointed  by  Nature,  but  those,  which,  for  week 
after  week,  have  worn  down  health  and  spirits,  when 
nourishing  her  child.  And  medical  men  teach  us,  that 
this,  in  most  cases,  results  from  a  debility  of  constitution, 
consequent  on  the  mismanagement  of  early  life.  And 
so  frequent  and  so  mournful  are  these,  and  the  other 
distresses  that  result  from  the  delicacy  of  the  female 
constitution,  that  the  writer  has  repeatedly  heard  moth- 
ers say,  that  they  had  wept  tears  of  bitterness  over  their 
infant  daughters,  at  the  thought  of  the  sufferings  which 
they  were  destined  to  undergo ;  while  they  cherished 


TO    AMERICAN    WOMEN.  43 

the  decided  wish,  that  these  daughters  should  neve*' 
marry.  At  the  same  time,  many  a  reflecting  young 
woman  is  looking  to  her  future  prospects,  with  very 
different  feelings  and  hopes  from  those  which  Provi- 
dence designed. 

A  perfectly  healthy  woman,  especially  a  perfectly 
healthy  mother,  is  so  unfrequent,  in  some  of  the  wealth- 
ier classes,  that  those,  who  are  so,  may  be  regarded  as 
the  exceptions,  and  not  as  the  general  rule.  The  writer 
has  heard  some  of  her  friends  declare,  that  they  would 
ride  fifty  miles,  to  see  a  perfectly  healthy  and  vigorous 
woman,  out  of  the  laboring  classes.  This,  although 
somewhat  jocose,  was  not  an  entirely  unfair  picture  of 
the  true  state  of  female  health  in  the  wealthier  classes. 

There  are  many  causes  operating,  which  serve  to  per- 
petuate and  increase  this  evil.  It  is  a  well-known  fact, 
that  mental  excitement  tends  to  weaken  the  physical 
system,  unless  it  is  counterbalanced  by  a  corresponding 
increase  of  exercise  and  fresh  air.  Now,  the  people  of 
this  Country  are  under  the  influence  of  high  commercial, 
political,  and  religious  stimulus,  altogether  greater  than 
was  ever  known  by  any  other  nation ;  and  in  all  this, 
women  are  made  the  sympathizing  companions  of  the 
other  sex.  At  the  same  time,  young  girls,  in  pursuing 
an  education,  have  ten  times  greater  an  amount  of  in- 
tellectual taxation  demanded,  than  was  ever  before  ex- 
acted. Let  any  daughter,  educated  in  our  best  schools 
at  this  day,  compare  the  course  of  her  study  with  that 
pursued  in  her  mother's  early  life,  and  it  will  be  seen 
that  this  estimate  of  the  increase  of  mental  taxation 
probably  falls  below  the  truth.  Though,  in  some  coun- 
tries, there  are  small  classes  of  females,  in  the  higher 
circles,  who  pursue  literature  and  science  to  a  far  great- 
er extent  than  in  any  corresponding  circles  in  this 
Country,  yet,  in  no  nation  in  the  world  are  the  advan- 
tages of  a  good  intellectual  education  enjoyed,  by  so 
large  a  proportion  of  the  females.  And  this  education 
has  consisted  far  less  of  accomplishments,  and  far  more 
of  those  solid  studies  which  demand  the  exercise  of  the 


44  DIFFICULTIES    PECULIAR 

various  powers  of  mind,  than  the  education  of  the  women 
of  other  lands. 

And  when  American  women  are  called  to  the  respon 
sibilities  of  domestic  life,  the  degree  in  which  their  minds 
and  feelings  are  taxed,  is  altogether  greater  than  it  is  in 
any  other  nation. 

No  women  on  earth  have  a  higher  sense  of  their  moral 
and  religious  responsibilities,  or  better  understand,  not 
only  what  is  demanded  of  them,  as  housekeepers,  but 
all  the  claims  that  rest  upon  them  as  wives,  mothers,  and 
members  of  a  social  community.  An  American  woman, 
who  is  the  mistress  of  a  family,  feels  her  obligations,  in 
reference  to  her  influence  over  her  husband,  and  a  still 
greater  responsibility  in  rearing  and  educating  her  chil- 
dren. She  feels,  too,  the  claims  which  the  moral  inter- 
ests of  her  domestics  have  on  her  watchful  care.  In 
social  life,  she  recognises  the  claims  of  hospitality,  and 
the  demands  of  friendly  visiting.  Her  responsibility,  in 
reference  to  the  institutions  of  benevolence  and  religion, 
is  deeply  realized.  The  regular  worship  of  the  Lord's 
day,  and  all  the  various  religious  meetings  and  benevo- 
lent societies  which  place  so  much  dependence  on 
female  influence  and  example,  she  feels  obligated  to 
sustain.  Add  to  these  multiplied  responsibilities,  the 
perplexities  and  evils  which  have  been  pointed  out,  re- 
sulting from  the  fluctuating  state  of  society,  and  the 
deficiency  of  domestic  service,  and  no  one  can  deny 
that  American  women  are  exposed  to  a  far  greatei 
amount  of  intellectual  and  moral  excitement,  than  those 
of  any  other  land.  Of  course,  in  order  to  escape  the 
danger  resulting  from  this,  a  greater  amount  of  exercise 
in  the  fresh  air,  and  all  those  methods  which  strengthen 
the  constitution,  are  imperiously  required. 

But,  instead  of  this,  it  will  be  found,  that,  owing  to 
the  climate  and  customs  of  this  Nation,  there  are  no 
women  who  secure  so  little  of  this  healthful  and  protect 
ing  regimen,  as  ours.  Walking  and  riding  and  garden- 
ing, in  the  open  air,  are  practised  by  the  women  of  other 
lands,  to  a  far  greater  extent,  than  by  American  females. 


TO    AMERICAN    WOMEN.  45 

Most  English  women,  in  the  wealthier  classes,  are  able 
to  walk  six  and  eight  miles,  without  oppressive  fatigue ; 
and  when  they  visit  this  Country,  always  express  their 
surprise  at  the  inactive  habits  of  American  ladies.  In 
England,  regular  exercise,  in  the  open  air,  is  very  com- 
monly required  by  the  mother,  as  a  part  of  daily  duty, 
and  is  sought  by  young  women,  as  an  enjoyment.  In 
consequence  of  a  different  physical  training,  English 
women,  in  those  circles  which  enjoy  competency,  pre- 
sent an  appearance  which  always  strikes  American 
gentlemen  as  a  contrast  to  what  they  see  at  home.  An 
English  mother,  at  thirty,  or  thirty-five,  is  in  the  full 
bloom  of  perfected  womanhood  ;  as  fresh  and  healthful 
as  her  daughters.  But  where  are  the  American  moth- 
ers, who  can  reach  this  period  unfaded  and  unworn  ? 
In  America,  young  ladies  of  the  wealthier  classes  are 
sent  to  school  from  early  childhood ;  and  neither  parents 
nor  teachers  make  it  a  definite  object  to  secure  a  proper 
amount  of  fresh  air  and  exercise,  to  counterbalance  this 
intellectual  taxation.  As  soon  as  their  school  days  are 
over,  dressing,  visiting,  evening  parties,  and  stimulating 
amusements,  take  the  place  of  study,  while  the  most  un- 
healthful  modes  of  dress  add  to  the  physical  exposures. 
To  make  morning  calls,  or  do  a  little  shopping,  is  all 
that  can  be  termed  their  exercise  in  the  fresh  air ;  and 
this,  compared  to  what  is  needed,  is  absolutely  nothing, 
and  on  some  accounts  is  worse  than  nothing.*  In  con- 
sequence of  these,  and  other  evils,  which  will  be  point- 
ed out  more  at  large  in  the  following  pages,  the  young 
women  of  America  grow  up  with  such  a  delicacy  of 
constitution,  that  probably  eight  out  of  ten  become  sub- 
jects of  disease,  either  before  or  as  soon  as  they  are 
called  to  the  responsibilities  of  domestic  life. 

But  there  is  one  peculiarity  of  situation,  in  regard  to 
American  women,  which  makes  this  delicacy  of  consti- 

*  Sj  little  idea  have  most  ladies,  in  the  wealthier  classes,  of  what  is 
a  proper  amount  of  exercise,  that,  if  they  should  succeed  in  walking 
a  mile  or  so,  at  a  moderate  pace,  three  or  four  times  a  week,  they 
would  call  it  taking  a  great  deal  of  exercise. 


46  DIFFICULTIES    PECULIAR 

tution  still  more  disastrous.  It  is  the  liability  to  the 
exposures  and  hardships  of  a  newly-settled  country. 

One  more  extract  from  De  Tocqueville  will  give  a 
view  of  this  part  of  the  subject,  which  any  one,  familiar 
with  Western  life,  will  admire  for  its  verisimilitude. 

"The  same  strength  of  purpose  which  the  young 
wives  of  America  display  in  bending  themselves,  at 
once,  and  without  repining,  to  the  austere  duties  of 
their  new  condition,  is  no  less  manifest  in  all  the  great 
trials  of  their  lives.  In  no  country  in  the  world,  are 
private  fortunes  more  precarious,  than  in  the  United 
States.  It  is  not  uncommon  for  the  same  man,  in  the 
course  of  his  life,  to  rise  and  sink  again  through  all  the 
grades  which  lead  from  opulence  to  poverty.  American 
women  support  these  vicissitudes  with  a  calm  and  un- 
quenchable energy.  It  would  seem  that  their  desires 
contract,  as  easily  as  they  expand,  with  their  fortunes. 
The  greater  part  of  the  adventurers,  who  migrate,  every 
year,  to  people  the  Western  wilds,  belong  "  "  to  the  old 
Anglo-American  race  of  the  Northern  States.  Many 
of  these  men,  who  rush  so  boldly  onward  in  pursuit  of 
wealth,  were  already  in  the  enjoyment  of  a  competency 
in  their  own  part  of  the  Country.  They  take  their 
wives  along  with  them,  and  make  them  share  the  count- 
less perils  and  privations,  which  always  attend  the  com- 
mencement of  these  expeditions.  I  have  often  met, 
even  on  the  verge  of  the  wilderness,  with  young  women, 
who,  after  having  been  brought  up  amid  all  the  com- 
forts of  the  large  towns  of  New  England,  had  passed, 
almost  without  any  intermediate  stage,  from  the  wealthy 
abode  of  their  parents,  to  a  comfortless  hovel  in  a  forest. 
Fever,  solitude,  and  a  tedious  life,  had  not  broken  the 
springs  of  their  courage.  Their  features  were  impaired 
and  faded,  but  their  looks  were  firm :  they  appeared  to 
be,  at  once,  sad  and  resolute." 

In  another  passage,  he  gives  this  picturesque  sketch : 
"  By  the  side  of  the  hearth,  sits  a  woman,  with  a  baby 
on  her  lap.  She  nods  to  us,  without  disturbing  herself. 
Like  the  pioneer,  this  woman  is  in  the  prime  of  life ; 


TO    AMERICAN    WOMEN.  47 

her  appearance  would  seem  superior  to  her  condition : 
and  her  apparel  even  betrays  a  lingering  taste  for  dress. 
But  her  delicate  limbs  appear  shrunken  ;  her  features 
are  drawn  in ;  her  eye  is  mild  and  melancholy ;  her 
whole  physiognomy  bears  marks  of  a  degree  of  religious 
resignation,  a  deep  quiet  of  all  passion,  and  some  sort 
of  natural  and  tranquil  firmness,  ready  to  meet  all  the 
ills  of  life,  without  fearing  and  without  braving  them. 
Her  children  cluster  about  her,  full  of  health,  turbu- 
lence, and  energy  ;  they  are  true  children  of  the  wilder- 
ness: their  mother  watches  them,  from  time  to  time, 
with  mingled  melancholy  and  joy.  To  look  at  their 
strength,  and  her  languor,  one  might  imagine  that  the 
life  she  had  given  them  had  exhausted  her  own ;  and 
still  she  regrets  not  what  they  have  cost  her.  The 
house,  inhabited  by  these  emigrants,  has  no  internal 
partition  or  loft.  In  the  one  chamber  of  which  it  con- 
sists, the  whole  family  is  gathered  for  the  night.  The 
dwelling  is  itself  a  little  world ;  an  ark  of  civilization 
amid  an  ocean  of  foliage.  A  hundred  steps  beyond  it, 
the  primeval  forest  spreads  its  shades,  and  solitude  re- 
sumes its  sway." 

Such  scenes,  and  such  women,  the  writer  has  met, 
and  few  persons  realize  how  many  refined  and  lovely 
women  are  scattered  over  the  broad  prairies  and  deep 
forests  of  the  West ;  and  none,  but  the  Father  above, 
appreciates  the  extent  of  those  sacrifices  and  sufferings, 
and  the  value  of  that  firm  faith  and  religious  hope,  which 
live,  in  perennial  bloom,  amid  those  vast  solitudes.  If 
the  American  women  of  the  East  merit  the  palm,  for 
their  skill  and  success  as  accomplished  housekeepers, 
still  more  is  due  to  the  heroines  of  the  West,  who,  with 
such  unyielding  fortitude  and  cheerful  endurance,  at- 
tempt similar  duties,  amid  so  many  disadvantages  and 
deprivations. 

But,  though  American  women  have  those  elevated 
principles  arid  feelings,  which  enable  them  to  meet  such 
trials  in  so  exemplary  a  manner,  their  physical  energies 
are  not  equal  to  the  exertions  demanded.  Though  the 


48  REMEDIES    FOR    THESE    DIFFICULTIES. 

mind  may  be  bright  and  firm,  the  casket  is  shivered ; 
though  the  spirit  may  be  willing,  the  flesh  is  weak.  A 
woman  of  firm  health,  with  the  hope  and  elasticity  of 
youth,  may  be  envied  rather  than  pitied,  as  she  shares 
with  her  young  husband  the  hopes  and  enterprises  of 
pioneer  life.  But,  when  the  body  fails,  then  the  eye 
of  hope  grows  dim,  the  heart  sickens,  the  courage  dies ; 
and,  in  solitude,  weariness,  and  suffering,  the  wanderer 
pines  for  the  dear  voices  and  the  tender  sympathies  of 
a  far  distant  home.  Then  it  is,  that  the  darkest  shade 
is  presented,  which  marks  the  peculiar  trials  and  liabili- 
ties of  American  women,  and  which  exhibits  still  more 
forcibly  the  disastrous  results  of  that  delicacy  of  consti- 
tution which  has  been  pointed  out.  For,  though  all 
American  women,  or  even  the  greater  part  of  them,  are 
not  called  to  encounter  such  trials,  yet  no  mother,  who 
rears  a  family  of  daughters,  can  say,  that  such  a  lot  will 
not  fall  to  one  of  her  flock ;  nor  can  she  know  which 
will  escape.  The  reverses  of  fortune,  and  the  chances 
of  matrimony,  expose  every  woman  in  the  Nation  to 
such  liabilities,  for  which  she  needs  to  be  prepared. 


CHAPTER   III. 

REMEDIES    FOR    THE    PRECEDING    DIFFICULTIES. 

HAVING  pointed  out  the  peculiar  responsibilities  of 
American  women,  and  the  peculiar  embarrassments 
which  they  are  called  to  encounter,  the  following  sug- 
gestions are  offered,  as  remedies  for  such  difficulties. 

In  the  first  place,  the  physical  and  domestic  educa- 
tion of  daughters  should  occupy  the  principal  attention 
of  mothers,  in  childhood;  and  the  stimulation  of  the 
intellect  should  be  very  much  reduced.  As  a  general 
rule,  daughters  should  not  be  sent  to  school  before  they 
are  six  years  old ;  and,  when  they  are  sent,  far  more 
attention  should  be  paid  to  their  physical  developement, 


REMEDIES    FOR    THESE    DIFFICULTIES.  49 

than  is  usually  done.  They  should  never  be  confined, 
at  any  employment,  more  than  an  hour  at  a  time ;  and 
this  confinement  should  be  followed  by  sports  in  the 
open  air.  Such  accommodations  should  be  secured, 
that,  at  all  seasons,  and  in  all  weathers,  the  teacher  can 
every  half  hour  send  out  a  portion  of  her  school,  for 
sports.  And  still  more  care  should  be  given  to  preserve 
pure  air  in  the  schoolroom.  The  close  stoves,  crowded 
condition,  and  poisonous  air,  of  most  schoolrooms,  act 
as  constant  drains  on  the  health  and  strength  of  young 
children. 

In  addition  to  this,  much  less  time  should  be  given 
to  school,  and  much  more  to  domestic  employments, 
especially  in  the  wealthier  classes.  A  little  girl  may 
begin,  at  five  or  six  years  of  age,  to  assist  her  mother ; 
and,  if  properly  trained,  by  the  time  she  is  ten,  she  can 
render  essential  aid.  From  this  time,  until  she  is  four- 
teen or  fifteen,  it  should  be  the  principal  object  of  her 
education  to  secure  a  strong  and  healthy  constitution, 
and  a  thorough  practical  knowledge  of  all  kinds  of  do- 
mestic employments.  During  this  period,  though  some 
attention  ought  to  be  paid  to  intellectual  culture,  it 
ought  to  be  made  altogether  secondary  in  importance ; 
and  such  a  measure  of  study  and  intellectual  excitement, 
as  is  now  demanded  in  our  best  female  seminaries,  ought 
never  to  be  allowed,  until  a  young  lady  has  passed  the 
most  critical  period  of  her  youth,  and  has  a  vigorous 
and  healthful  constitution  fully  established.  The  plan 
might  be  adopted,  of  having  schools  for  young  girls 
kept  only  in  the  afternoon ;  that  their  mornings  might 
be  occupied  in  domestic  exercise,  without  interfering 
with  school  employments.  Where  a  proper  supply  of 
domestic  exercise  cannot  be  afforded,  the  cultivation  of 
flowers  and  fruits  might  be  resorted  to,  as  a  delightful 
and  unfailing  promotive  of  pleasure  and  health. 

And  it  is  to  that  class  of  mothers,  who  have  the  best 
means  of  securing  hired  service,  and  who  are  the  most 
tempted  to  allow  their  daughters  to  grow  up  with  in- 
active habits,  that  their- Country  and  the  world  must 

5  D.  F 


50  REMEDIES    FOR    THESE    DIFFICULTIES. 

look  for  a  reformation,  in  this  respect.  Whatever 
ladies  in  the  wealthier  classes  decide  shall  be  fashion- 
able, will  be  followed  by  all  the  rest;  but,  while  they 
persist  in  the  aristocratic  habits,  now  so  common,  and 
bring  up  their  daughters  to  feel  as  if  labor  was  degrading 
and  unbecoming,  the  evils  pointed  out  will  never 
find  a  remedy.  It  is,  therefore,  the  peculiar  duty  of 
ladies,  who  have  wealth,  to  set  a  proper  example,  in 
this  particular,  and  make  it  their  first  aim  to  secure  a 
strong  and  healthful  constitution  for  their  daughters,  by 
active  domestic  employments.  All  the  sweeping,  dust- 
ing, care  of  furniture  and  beds,  the  clear  starching,  and 
the  nice  cooking,  should  be  done  by  the  daughters  of  a 
family,  and  not  by  hired  servants.  It  may  cost  the 
mother  more  care,  and  she  may  find  it  needful  to  hire 
a  person  for  the  express  purpose  of  instructing  and 
superintending  her  daughters,  in  these  employments; 
but  it  should  be  regarded  as  indispensable  to  be  secured, 
either  by  the  mother's  agency,  or  by  a  substitute. 

It  is  in  this  point  of  view,  that  the  dearth  of  good 
domestics  in  this  Country  may,  in  its  results,  prove  a 
substantial  blessing.  If  all  housekeepers,  who  have  the 
means,  could  secure  good  servants,  there  would  be  little 
hope  that  so  important  a  revolution,  in  the  domestic 
customs  of  the  wealthy  classes,  could  be  effected.  And 
so  great  is  the  natural  indolence  of  mankind,  that  the 
amount  of  exercise,  needful  for  health,  will  never  be 
secured  by  those  who  are  led  to  it  through  no  necessity, 
but  merely  from  rational  considerations.  Yet  the 
pressure  of  domestic  troubles,  from  the  want  of  good 
domestics,  has  already  determined  many  a  mother,  in 
the  wealthy  classes,  to  train  her  daughters  to  aid  her 
in  domestic  service ;  and  thus  necessity  is  compelling 
mothers  to  do  what  abstract  principles  of  expediency 
could  never  secure. 

A  second  method  of  promoting  the  same  object,  is, 
to  raise  the  science  and  practice  of  Domestic  Economy 
to  its  appropriate  place,  as  a  regular  study  in  female 
seminaries.  The  succeeding  ^chapter  will  present  the 


REMEDIES    FOR    THESE    DIFFICULTIES.  51 

reasons  for  this,  more  at  large.  But  it  is  to  the  mothers 
of  our  Country,  that  the  community  must  look  for  this 
change.  It  cannot  be  expected,  that  teachers,  who 
have  their  attention  chiefly  absorbed  by  the  intellectual 
and  moral  interests  of  their  pupils,  should  properly 
realize  the  importance  of  this  department  of  education 
But  if  mothers  generally  become  convinced  of  this,  theii 
judgement  and  wishes  will  meet  the  respectful  consid 
eration  they  deserve,  and  the  object  will  be  accomplished. 

The  third  method  of  securing  a  remedy  for  the  evils 
pointed  out,  is,  the  endowment  of  female  institutions, 
under  the  care  of  suitable  trustees,  who  shall  secure  a 
proper  course  of  education.  The  importance  of  this 
measure  cannot  be  realized  by  those,  who  have  not 
turned  their  attention  to  this  subject ;  and  for  such,  the 
following  considerations  are  presented. 

The  endowment  of  colleges,  and  of  law,  medical,  and 
divinity,  schools,  for  the  other  sex,  is  designed  to  secure 
a  thorough  and  proper  education,  for  those  who  have 
the  most  important  duties  of  society  to  perform.  The 
men  who  are  to  expound  the  laws,  the  men  who  have 
the  care  of  the  public  health,  and  the  men  who  are  to 
communicate  religious  instruction,  should  have  well- 
disciplined  and  well-informed  minds ;  and  it  is  mainly 
for  this  object  that  collegiate  and  professional  institu- 
tions are  established.  Liberal  and  wealthy  individuals 
contribute  funds,  and  the  legislatures  of  the  States  also 
lend  assistance,  so  that  every  State  in  this  Nation  has 
from  one  to  twenty  such  endowed  institutions,  supplied 
with  buildings,  apparatus,  a  library,  and  a  faculty  of 
learned  men  to  carry  forward  a  superior  course  of  in- 
struction. And  the  use  of  all  these  advantages  is 
secured,  in  many  cases,  at  an  expense,  no  greater  than 
is  required  to  send  a  boy  to  a  common  school  and  pay 
his  board  there.  No  private  school  could  offer  these 
advantages,  without  charging  such  a  sum,  as  would 
forbid  all  but  the  rich  from  securing  its  benefits.  By 
furnishing  such  superior  advantages,  on  low  terms,  mul- 
titudes are  properly  educated,  who  would  otherwise 


52  REMEDIES    FOR   THESE    DIFFICULTIES. 

remain  in  ignorance ;  and  thus  the  professions  are  sup- 
plied, by  men  properly  qualified  for  them. 

Were  there  no  such  institutions,  and  no  regular  and 
appropriate  course  of  study  demanded  for  admission 
to  the  bar,  the  pulpit,  and  to  medical  practice,  the 
education  of  most  professional  men  would  be  desultory, 
imperfect,  and  deficient.  Parents  and  children  would 
regirfate  the  course  of  study  according  to  their  own 
crude  notions  ;  and,  instead  of  having  institutions  which 
agree  in  carrying  on  a  similar  course  of  study,  each 
school  would  have  its  own  peculiar  system,  and  com- 
pete and  conflict  with  every  other.  Meantime,  the 
public  would  have  no  means  of  deciding  which  was 
best,  nor  any  opportunity  for  learning  when  a  profes- 
sional man  was  properly  qualified  for  his  duties.  But 
as  it  is,  the  diploma  of  a  college,  and  the  license  of  an 
appointed  body  of  judges,  must  both  be  secured,  before 
a  young  man  feels  that  he  has  entered  the  most  prom- 
ising path  to  success  in  his  profession. 

Our  Country,  then,  is  most  abundantly  supplied  with 
endowed  institutions,  which  secure  a  liberal  education, 
on  such  low  terms  as  make  them  accessible  to  all  class- 
es, and  in  which  the  interests  of  education  are  watched 
over,  sustained,  and  made  permanent,  by  an  appropri 
ate  board  of  trustees. 

But  are  not  the  most  responsible  of  all  duties  com 
mitted  to  the  charge  of  woman  ?  Is  it  not  her  profes- 
sion to  take  care  of  mind,  body,  and  soul  ?  and  that, 
too,  at  the  most  critical  of  all  periods  of  existence? 
And  is  it  not  as  much  a  matter  of  public  concern, 
that  she  should  be  properly  qualified  for  her  duties, 
as  that  ministers,  lawyers,  and  physicians,  should  be 
prepared  for  theirs?  And  is  it  not  as  important,  to 
endow  institutions  which  shall  make  a  superior  educa- 
tion accessible  to  all  classes, — for  females,  as  for  Jthe 
other  sex  ?  And  is  it  not  equally  important,  that  insti- 
tutions for  females  be  under  the  supervision  of  intelli- 
gent and  responsible  trustees,  whose  duty  it  shall  be  to 
secure  a  uniform  and  appropriate  education  for  one  sex 


REMEDIES    FOR    THESE    DIFFICULTIES.  53 

as  much  as  for  the  other  ?  It  would  seem  as  if  every 
mind  must  accord  an  affirmative  reply,  as  soon  as  the 
matter  is  fairly  considered. 

As  the  education  of  females  is  now  conducted,  any 
man  or  woman  who  pleases,  can  establish  a  female 
seminary,  and  secure  recommendations  which  will  at- 
tract pupils.  But  whose  business  is  it  to  see.  that  these 
young  females  are  not  huddled  into  crowded  rooms  ?  or 
that  they  do  not  sleep  in  ill-ventilated  chambers?  or 
that  they  have  healthful  food  ?  or  that  they  have  the 
requisite  amount  of  fresh  air  and  exercise  ?  or  that  they . 
pursue  an  appropriate  and  systematic  course  of  study  ? 
or  that  their  manners,  principles,  and  morals,  are  prop- 
erty regulated  ?  Parents  either  have  not  the  means,  or 
else  are  not  qualified  to  judge ;  or,  if  they  are  furnished 
with  means  and  capacity,  they  are  often  restricted  to  a 
choice  of  the  best  school  within  reach,  even  when  it  is 
known  to  be  exceedingly  objectionable. 

If  the  writer  were  to  disclose  all  that  can  truly  be 
told  of  boarding-school  life,  and  its  influence  on  health, 
manners,  disposition,  intellect,  and  morals,  the  dis- 
closure would  both  astonish  and  shock  every  rational 
mind.  And  yet  she  believes  that  such  institutions  are 
far  better  managed  in  this  Country,  than  in  any  other : 
and  that  the  number  of  those,  which  are  subject  to  im- 
putations in  these  respects,  is  much  less  than  could 
reasonably  be  expected.  But  it  is  most  surely  the  case, 
that  much  remains  to  be  done,  in  order  to  supply  such 
institutions  as  are  needed  for  the  proper  education  of 
American  women. 

In  attempting  a  sketch  of  the  kind  of  institutions 
which  are  demanded,  it  is  very  fortunate  that  there  is 
no  necessity  for  presenting  a  theory,  which  may,  or 
may  not,  be  approved  by  experience.  It  is  the  greatest 
honor  of  one  of  our  newest  Western  States,  that  it  can 
boast  of  such  an  Institution,  endowed,  too,  wholly  by 
the  munificence  of  a  single  individual.  A  slight  sketch 
of  this  Institution,  which  the  writer  has  examined  in  all 

5  *  D.  E 


54  REMEDIES    FOR   THESE    DIFFICULTIES. 

its  details,  will  give  an  idea  of  what  can  be  done,  by 
showing  what  has  actually  been  accomplished. 

This  Institution  *  is  under  the  supervision  of  a  Board 
of  Trustees,  who  hold  the  property  in  trust  for  the  ob- 
ject to  which  it  is  devoted,  and  who  have  the  power  tc 
fill  their  own  vacancies.  It  is  furnished  with  a  noble 
and  tasteful  building,  of  stone,  so  liberal  in  dimensions 
and  arrangement,  that  it  can  accommodate  ninety  pupils 
and  teachers,  giving  one  room  to  every  two  pupils,  and 
all  being  so  arranged,  as  to  admit  of  thorough  ventila- 
tion. This  building  is  surrounded  by  extensive  grounds, 
enclosed  with  handsome  fences,  where  remains  of  the 
primeval  forest  still  offer  refreshing  shade  for  juvenile 
sports. 

To  secure  adequate  exercise  for  the  pupils,  two 
methods  are  adopted.  By  the  first,  each  young  lady  is 
required  to  spend  a  certain  portion  of  time  in  domestic 
employments,  either  in  sweeping,  dusting,  setting  and 
clearing  tables,  washing  and  ironing,  or  other  household 
concerns. 

Let  not  the  aristocratic  mother  and  daughter  express 
their  dislike  of  such  an  arrangement,  till  they  can  learn 
how  well  it  succeeds.  Let  them  walk,  as  the  writer 
has  done,  through  the  large  airy  halls,  kept  clean  and 
in  order  by  their  fair  occupants,  to  the  washing  and 
ironing-rooms.  There  they  will  see  a  long  hall,  con- 
veniently fitted  up  with  some  thirty  neatly-painted  tubs, 
with  a  clean  floor,  and  water  conducted  so  as  to  save 
both  labor  and  slopping.  Let  them  see  some  thirty  or 
forty  merry  girls,  superintended  by  a  motherly  lady, 
chatting  and  singing,  washing  and  starching,  while  every 
convenience  is  at  hand,  and  every  thing  around  is  clean 
and  comfortable.  Two  hours,  thus  employed,  enable 


*  The  writer  omits  the  name  of  this  Institution,  lest  an  inference  should 
be  drawn  which  would  be  unjust  to  other  institutions.  There  are  others 
equally  worthy  of  notice,  and  the  writer  selects  this  only  because  her  atten 
tion  was  especially  directed  to  it  as  being  in  a  new  State,  and  endowed  whol- 
ly by  an  individual. 


REMEDIES    FOR    THESE    DIFFICULTIES  55 

each  young  lady  to  wash  the  articles  she  used  durirg  the 
previous  week,  which  is  all  that  is  demanded,  while 
thus  they  are  all  practically  initiated  into  the  arts  and 
mysteries  of  the  wash-tub.  The  Superintendent  re- 
marked to  the  writer,  that,  after  a  few  weeks  of  proba- 
tion, most  of  her  young  washers  succeeded  quite  as 
well  as  those  whom  she  could  hire,  and  who  made  it 
their  business.  Adjacent  to  the  washing-room,  is  the 
ironing  establishment ;  where  another  class  are  arranged, 
on  the  ironing-day,  around  long,  extended  tables,  with 
heating-furnaces,  clothes-frames,  and  all  needful  appli- 
ances. 

By  a  systematic  arrangement  of  school  and  domestic 
duties,  a  moderate  portion  of  time,  usually  not  exceed- 
ing two  hours  a  day,  from  each  of  the  pupils,  accom- 
plished all  the  domestic  labor  of  a  family  of  ninety, 
except  the  cooking,  which  was  done  by  two  hired  do- 
mestics. This  part  of  domestic  labor  it  was  deemed 
inexpedient  to  incorporate  as  a  portion  of  the  business 
of  the  pupils,  inasmuch  as  it  could  not  be  accommo- 
dated to  the  arrangements  of  the  school,  and  was  in 
other  respects  objectionable. 

Is  it  asked,  how  can  young  ladies  paint,  play  the 
piano,  and  study,  when  their  hands  and  dresses  must 
be  unfitted  by  such  drudgery  ?  The  woman  who  asks 
this  question,  has  yet  to  learn  that  a  pure  and  delicate 
skin  is  better  secured  by  healthful  exercise,  than  by  any 
other  method  ;  and  that  a  young  lady,  who  will  spend 
two  hours  a  day  at  the  wash-tub,  or  with  a  broom,  is 
far  more  likely  to  have  rosy  cheeks,  a  finely-moulded 
form,  and  a  delicate  skin,  than  one  who  lolls  all  day  in 
her  parlor  or  chamber,  or  only  leaves  it,  girt  in  tight 
dresses,  to  make  fashionable  calls.  It  is  true,  that  long- 
protracted  daily  labor  hardens  the  hand,  and  unfits  it 
for  delicate  employments ;  but  the  amount  of  labor 
needful  for  health  produces  no  such  effect.  As  to 
dress,  and  appearance,  if  neat  and  convenient  accom- 
modations are  furnished,  there  is  no  occasion  for  the 
exposures  which  demand  shabby  dresses.  A  dark  cali 


OO  REMEDIES    FOR    THESE    DIFFICULTIES. 

co,  genteelly  made,  with  an  oiled-silk  apron,  and  wide 
cuffs  of  the  same  material,  secures  both  good  looks  and 
good  service.  This  plan  of  domestic  employments  for 
the  pupils  in  this  Institution,  not  only  secures  regular 
healthful  exercise,  but  also  aids  to  reduce  the  expenses 
of  education,  so  that,  with  the  help  of  the  endowments, 
it  is  brought  within  the  reach  of  many,  who  otherwise 
could  never  gain  such  advantages. 

In  addition  to  this,  a  system  of  Calisthenic*  exercises 
is  introduced,  which  secures  all  the  advantages  which 
dancing  is  supposed  to  effect,  and  which  is  free  from 
the  dangerous  tendencies  of  that  fascinating  and  fash- 
ionable amusement.  This  system  is  so  combined  with 
music,  and  constantly  varying  evolutions,  as  to  serve  as 
an  amusement,  and  also  as  a  mode  of  curing  distor- 
tions, particularly  all  tendencies  to  curvature  of  the 
spine ;  while,  at  the  same  time,  it  tends  to  promote 
grace  of  movement,  and  easy  manners. 

Another  advantage  of  this  Institution,  is,  an  elevated 
and  invigorating  course  of  mental  discipline.  Many 
persons  seem  to  suppose,  that  the  chief  object  of  an 
intellectual  education  is  the  acquisition  of  knowledge. 
But  it  will  be  found,  that  this  is  only  a  secondary  ob- 
ject. The  formation  of  habits  of  investigation,  of 
correct  reasoning,  of  persevering  attention,  of  regular 
system,  of  accurate  analysis,  and  of  vigorous  mental 
action,  is  the  primary  object  to  be  sought  in  pre- 
paring American  women  for  their  arduous  duties ; 
duties  which  will  demand  not  only  quickness  of  per- 
ception, but  steadiness  of  purpose,  regularity  of  system, 
and  perseverance  in  action. 

It  is  for  such  purposes,  that  the  discipline  of  the 
Mathematics  is  so  important  an  element  in  female 

*  From  two  Greek  words, — y.alog,  kalos,  beauty,  and  n&svoc,  sthe- 
nos,  strength,  being  the  union  of  both.  The  writer  is  now  preparing 
for  the  press,  an  improved  system,  of  her  own  invention,  which,  in 
some  of  its  parts,  has  been  successfully  introduced  into  several  female 
seminaries,  with  advantage.  This  plan  combines  singing  with  a  great 
variety  of  amusing  and  graceful  evolutions,  designed  to  promote  both 
health  and  easy  manners. 


REMEDIES    FOR   THESE    DIFFICULTIES.  5* 

education ;  and  it  is  in  this  aspect,  that  the  mere 
acquisition  of  facts,  and  the  attainment  of  accomplish- 
ments, should  be  made  of  altogether  secondary  ac- 
count. 

In  the  Institution  here  described,  a  systematic  course 
of  study  is  adopted,  as  in  our  colleges ;  designed  to 
occupy  three  years.  The  following  slight  outline  of 
the  course,  will  exhibit  the  liberal  plan  adopted  in  this 
respect. 

In  Mathematics,  the  whole  of  Arithmetic  contained 
in  the  larger  works  used  in  schools,  the  whole  of  Eu 
clid,  and  such  portions  from  Day's  Mathematics  as  are 
requisite  to  enable  the  pupils  to  demonstrate  the  various 
problems  in  Olmsted's  larger  work  on  Natural  Philoso- 
phy. In  Language,  besides  English  Grammar,  a  short 
course  in  Latin  is  required,  sufficient  to  secure  an  un- 
derstanding of  the  philosophy  of  the  language,  and  that 
kind  of  mental  discipline  which  the  exercise  of  trans- 
lating affords.  In  Philosophy,  Chemistry,  Astronomy, 
Botany,  Geology  and  Mineralogy,  Intellectual  and  Mor- 
al Philosophy,  Political  Economy,  and  the  Evidences 
of  Christianity,  the  same  textbooks  are  used  as  are  re- 
quired at  our  best  colleges.  In  Geography,  the  most 
thorqugh  course  is  adopted ;  and  in  History,  a  more 
complete  knowledge  is  secured,  by  means  of  charts  and 
textbooks,  than  most  of  our  colleges  offer.  To  these 
branches,  are  added  Griscom's  Physiology*  Bigelow's 
Technology,  and  Jahn's  Archaeology,  together  with  a 
course  of  instruction  in  polite  literature,  for  which 
Chambers's  English  Literature  is  employed  as  the  text- 
book, each  recitation  being  attended  with  selections  an^ 
criticisms,  from  teacher  or  pupils,  on  the  various  authors 
brought  into  notice.  Vocal  Music,  on  the  plan  of  th  * 
Boston  Academy,  is  a  part  of  the  daily  instruction! ;. 

*  This  work,  which  has  gone  through  numerous  editions,  and  been  receiv- 
ed by  the  public  with  great  favour,  forms  No.  Ixxxv.  of  the  "  Family  Libra 
ry,"  and  No.  Ivii.  of  the  "  School  District  Library,"  issued  by  the  publishers 
of  this  volume.  It  is  abundantly  illustrated  by  engravings,  and  has  been  ex> 
tensively  introduced  as  a  school  text-book. 


58  REMEDIES    FOR    THESE    DIFFICULTIES. 

Linear  drawing,  and  pencilling,  are  designed  also  to  be 
a  part  of  the  course.  Instrumental  Music  is  taught,  but 
not  as  a  part  of  the  regular  course  of  study. 

To  secure  the  proper  instruction  in  all  these  branches, 
the  division  of  labor,  adopted  in  colleges,  is  pursued. 
Each  teacher  has  distinct  branches  as  her  department, 
for  which  she  is  responsible,  and  in  which  she  is  inde- 
pendent. One  teacher  performs  the  duties  of  a  gov- 
erntss,  in  maintaining  rules,  and  attending  to  the  habits 
and  manners  of  the  pupils.  By  this  method,  the  teach- 
ers have  sufficient  time,  both  to  prepare  themselves, 
and  to  impart  instruction  and  illustration  in  the  class- 
room. In  this  Institution  it  is  made  a  direct  object  of 
effort  to  cure  defects  of  character  and  habits.  At  the 
frequent  meetings  of  the  Principal  and  teachers,  the 
peculiarities  of  each  pupil  are  made  the  subjects  of  in- 
quiry ;  and  methods  are  devised  for  remedying  defects 
through  the  personal  influence  of  the  several  teachers. 
This,  when  thus  made  a  direct  object  of  combined  effort, 
often  secures  results  most  gratifying  and  encouraging. 

One  peculiarity  of  this  Institution  demands  consid- 
eration. By  the  method  adopted  here,  the  exclusive 
business  of  educating  their  own  sex  is,  as  it  ever  ought 
to  be,  confined  to  females.  The  Principal  of  the  In- 
stitution, indeed,  is  a  gentleman ;  but,  while  he  takes 
the  position  of  a  father  of  the  family,  and  responsible 
head  of  the  whole  concern,  the  entire  charge  of  in- 
struction, and  most  of  the  responsibilities  in  regard  to 
health,  morals,  and  manners,  rest  upon  the  female 
teachers,  in  their  several  departments.  The  Principal 
is  the  chaplain  and  religious  teacher ;  and  is  a  member 
of  the  board  of  instructers,  so  far  as  to  have  a  right  to 
advise,  and  an  equal  vote,  in  every  question  pertaining 
to  the  concerns  of  the  School ;  and  thus  he  acts  as  a 
sort  of  regulator  and  mainspring  in  all  the  various  de- 
partments. But  no  one  person  in  the  Institution  is 
loaded  with  the  excessive  responsibilities,  which  rest 
upon  one,  where  a  large  institution  of  this  kind  has  a 
Principal,  who  employs  and  directs  all  the  subordinate 


REMEDIES    FOR    THESE    DIFFICULTIES.  59 

assistants.  The  writer  has  never  before  seen  the  prin- 
ciple of  the  division  of  labor  and  responsibility  so. per- 
fectly carried  out  in  any  female  institution ;  and  she 
believes  that  experience  will  prove  that  this  is  the  true 
model  for  combining,  in  appropriate  proportions,  the 
agency  of  both  sexes  in  carrying  forward  such  an  insti- 
tution. There  are  cases  where  females  are  well  quali- 
fied, and  feel  willing  to  take  the  place  occupied  by  the 
Principal ;  but  such  cases  are  rare. 

One  thing  more  should  be  noticed,  to  the  credit  of 
the  rising  State  where  this  Institution  is  located.  A 
female  association  has  been  formed,  embracing  a  large 
portion  of  the  ladies  of  standing  and  wealth,  the  design 
of  which,  is,  to  educate,  gratuitously,  at  this,  and  other 
similar,  institutions,  such  females  as  are  anxious  to  ob- 
tain a  good  education,  and  are  destitute  of  the  means. 
If  this  enterprise  is  continued,  with  the  same  energy  and 
perseverance  as  has  been  manifested  during  the  last  few 
years,  that  State  will  take  the  lead  of  her  sister  States 
in  well-educated  women;  and  if  the  views  in  the  pre- 
ceding pages  are  correct,  this  will  give  her  precedence 
in  every  intellectual  and  moral  advantage. 

Many,  who  are  not  aware  of  the  great  economy  se- 
cured by  a  proper  division  of  labor,  will  not  understand 
how  so  extensive  a  course  can  be  properly  completed 
in  three  years.  But  in  this  Institution,  none  are  re- 
ceived under  fourteen  ;  and  a  certain  amount  of  pre- 
vious acquisition  is  required,  in  order  to  admission,  as  is 
done  in  our  colleges.  This  secures  a  diminution  of 
classes,  so  that  but  few  studies  are  pursued  at  one 
time ;  while  the  number  of  well-qualified  teachers  is  so 
adequate,  that  full  time  is  afforded  for  all  needful  in- 
struction and  illustration.  Where  teachers  have  so 
many  classes,  that  they  merely  have  time  to  find  out 
what  the  pupils  learn  from  books,  without  any  aid  from 
their  teachers,  the  acquisitions  of  the  pupils  are  vague 
and  imperfect,  and  soon  pass  away ;  so  that  an  im- 
mense amount  of  expense,  time,  and  labor,  is  spent  in 
acquiring  or  recalling  what  is  lost  about  as  fast  as  it  is 
gained. 


60  REMEDIES    FOR   THESE    DIFFICULTIES. 

Parents  are  little  aware  of  the  immense  waste  incmred 
by  the  present  mode  of  conducting  female  education. 
In  the  wealthy  classes,  young  girls  are  sent  to  school, 
as  a  matter  of  course,  year  after  year,  confined,  for  six 
hours  a  day,  to  the  schoolhouse,  and  required  to  add 
some  time  out  of  school  to  learning  their  lessons.  Thus, 
during  the  most  critical  period  of  life,  they  are  for  a 
long  time  immured  in  a  room,  filled  with  an  atmosphere 
vitiated  by  many  breaths,  and  are  constantly  kept  under 
some  sort  of  responsibility  in  regard  to  mental  effort. 
Their  studies  are  pursued  at  random,  often  changed 
with  changing  schools,  while  book  after  book  (heavily 
taxing  the  parent's  purse)  is  conned  awhile,  and  thei, 
supplanted  by  others.  Teachers  have  usually  so  many 
pupils,  and  such  a  variety  of  branches  to  teach,  that 
little  time  can  be  afforded  to  each  pupil ;  while  scholars, 
at  this  thoughtless  period  of  life,  feeling  sure  of  going 
to  school  as  long  as  they  please,  manifest  little  interest 
in  their  pursuits. 

The  writer  believes  that  the  actual  amount  of  educa- 
tion, permanently  secured  by  most  young  ladies  from 
the  age  of  ten  to  fourteen,  could  all  be  acquired  in  one 
year,  at  the  Institution  described,  by  a  young  lady  at 
the  age  of  fifteen  or  sixteen. 

Instead  of  such  a  course  as  the  common  one,  if 
mothers  would  keep  their  daughters  as  their  domestic 
assistants,  until  they  are  fourteen,  requiring  them  to 
study  one  lesson,  and  go  out,  once  a  day,  to  recite  it  to 
a  teacher,  it  would  abundantly  prepare  them,  after  their 
constitutions  are  firmly  established,  to  enter  such  an 
institution,  where,  in  three  years,  they  could  secure 
more,  than  almost  any  young  lady  in  the  Country 
now  gains  by  giving  the  whole  of  her  youth  to  schooi 
pursuits. 

In  the  early  years  of  female  life,  reading,  writing, 
needlework,  drawing,  and  music,  should  alternate  with 
domestic  duties ;  and  one  hour  a  day,  devoted  to  some 
study,  in  addition  to  the  above  pursuits,  would  be  all 
that  is  needful  to  prepare  them  for  a  thorough  educa- 


REMEDIES    FOR    THESE    DIFFICULTIES.  61 

lion  after  growth  is  attained,  and  the  constitution  estab 
lished.  This  is  the  time  when  young  women  would 
feel  the  value  of  an  education,  and  pursue  their  studies 
with  that  maturity  of  mind,  and  vividness  of  interest, 
which  would  double  the  perpetuity  and  value  of  all 
their  acquisitions. 

The  great  difficulty,  which  opposes  such  a  plan,  is, 
the  want  of  institutions  that  would  enable  a  young  lady 
to  complete,  in  three  years,  the  liberal  course  of  study, 
here  described.  But  if  American  mothers  become  con 
vinced  of  the  importance  of  such  advantages  for  their 
daughters,  and  will  use  their  influence  appropriately 
and  efficiently,  they  will  certainly  be  furnished.  There 
are  other  men  of  liberality  and  wealth,  besides  the  indi- 
vidual referred  to,  who  can  be  made  to  feel  that  a  for 
tune,  expended  in  securing  an  appropriate  education  to 
American  women,  is  as  wisely  bestowed,  as  in  founding 
colleges  for  the  other  sex,  who  are  already  so  abundant- 
ly supplied.  We  ought  to  have  institutions,  similar 
to  the  one  described,  in  every  part  of  this  Nation ; 
and  funds  should  be  provided,  for  educating  young 
women  destitute  of  means :  and  if  American  women 
think  and  feel,  that,  by  such  a  method,  their  own  trials 
will  be  lightened,  and  their  daughters  will  secure  a 
lealthful  constitution  and  a  thorough  domestic  and  in- 
tellectual education,  the  appropriate  expression  of  their 
wishes  will  secure  the  necessary  funds.  The  tide  of 
charity,  which  has  been  so  long  flowing  from  the  female 
hand  to  provide  a  liberal  education  for  young  men,  will 
flow  back  with  abundant  remuneration. 

The  last  method  suggested  for  lessening  the  evils  pe- 
culiar to  American  women,  is,  a  decided  effort  to  oppose 
the  aristocratic  feeling,  that  labor  is  degrading;  and  to 
bring  about  the  impression,  that  it  is  refined  and  lady- 
like to  engage  in  domestic  pursuits.  In  past  ages,  and 
in  aristocratic  countries,  leisure  and  indolence  and  friv- 
olous pursuits  have  been  deemed  lady-like  and  refined, 
because  those  classes,  which  were  most  refined,  counte- 
nanced such  an  opinion.  But  whenever  ladies  of  refine 
6  D.  E. 


REMEDIES    FOR    THESE    DIFFICULTIES. 

ment,  as  a  general  custom,  patronise  domestic  pursuits^ 
then  these  employments  will  be  deemed  lady-like.  It 
may  be  urged,  however,  that  it  is  impossible  for  a  woman 
who  cooks,  washes,  and  sweeps,  to  appear  in  the  dress, 
or  acquire  the  habits  and  manners,  of  a  lady ;  that  the 
drudgery  of  the  kitchen  is  dirty  work,  and  that  no  one 
can  appear  delicate  and  refined,  while  engaged  in  it. 
Now  all  this  depends  on  circumstances.  If  a  woman 
nas  a  house,  destitute  of  neat  and  convenient  facilities ; 
if  she  has  no  habits  of  order  and  system ;  if  she  is  re- 
miss and  careless  in  person  and  dress ; — then  all  this 
may  be  true.  But,  if  a  woman  will  make  some  sacri- 
fices of  costly  ornaments  in  her  parlor,  in  order  to  make 
her  kitchen  neat  and  tasteful ;  if  she  will  sacrifice  ex- 
pensive dishes,  in  order  to  secure  such  conveniences  for 
labor  as  protect  from  exposures ;  if  she  will  take  pains 
to  have  the  dresses,  in  which  she  works,  made  of  suita- 
ble materials,  and  in  good  taste ;  if  she  will  rise  early, 
and  systematize  and  oversee  the  work  of  her  family,  so 
as  to  have  it  done  thoroughly,  neatly,  and  in  the  early 
part  of  the  day ;  she  will  find  no  necessity  for  any  such 
apprehensions.  It  is  because  such  work  has  generally 
been  done  by  vulgar  people,  and  in  a  vulgar  way.,  that 
we  have  such  associations ;  and  when  ladies  manage 
such  things,  as  ladies  should,  then  such  associations  will 
be  removed.  There  are  pursuits,  deemed  very  refined 
and  genteel,  which  involve  quite  as  much  exposure  as 
kitchen  employments.  For  example,  to  draw  a  large 
landscape,  in  colored  crayons,  would  be  deemed  very 
lady-like ;  but  the  writer  can  testify,  from  sad  experi- 
ence, that  no  cooking,  washing,  sweeping,  or  any  other 
domestic  duty,  ever  left  such  deplorable  traces  on  hands, 
face,  and  dress,  as!  this  same  lady-like  pursuit.  Such 
things  depend  entirely  on  custom  and  associations  ;  and 
every  American  woman,  who  values  the  institutions  of 
her  Country,  and  wishes  to  lend  her  influence  in  ex- 
tending and  perpetuating  such  blessings,  may  feel  that 
she  is  doing  this,  whenever,  by  her  example  and  influ 
ence,  she  destroys  the  aristocratic  association,  which 
would  render  domestic  labor  degrading, 


DOMESTIC  ECONOMY  AS  A  BRANCH  OF  SlUD*.   63 

CHAPTER  IV. 

ON  DOMESTIC  ECONOMY  AS  A  BRANCH  OP  STUDY 

THE  greatest  impediment  to  making  Domestic  Econ 
omy  a  branch  of  study,  is,  the  fact,  that  neither  parents 
nor  teachers  realize  the  importance,  or  the  practicability 
of  constituting  it  a  regular  part  of  school  education. 

It  is  with  reference  to  this,  that  the  first  aim  of  the 
writer  will  be,  to  point  out  some  of  the  reasons  for  in- 
troducing Domestic  Economy  as  a  branch  of  female, 
education,  to  be  studied  at  school. 

The  first  reason,  is,  that  there  is  no  period,  in  a 
young  lady's  life,  when  she  will  not  find  such  knowledge 
useful  to  herself  and  to  others.  The  state  of  domestic 
service,  in  this  Country,  is  so  precarious,  that  there  is 
scarcely  a  family,  in  the  free  States,  of  whom  it  can  be 
affirmed,  that  neither  sickness,  discontent,  nor  love  of 
change,  will  deprive  them  of  all  their  domestics,  so  that 
every  female  member  of  the  family  will  be  required  to 
'lend  some  aid,  in  providing  food  and  the  conveniences 
of  living ;  and  the  better  she  is  qualified  to  render  it, 
the  happier  she  will  be,  and  the  more  she  will  contribute 
to  the  enjoyment  of  others. 

A  second  reason,  is,  that  every  young  lady,  at  the 
close  of  her  schooldays,  and  even  before  they  are  closed, 
is  liable  to  be  placed  in  a  situation,  in  which  she  will 
need  to  do,  herself,  or  to  teach  others  to  do,  all  the  va- 
rious processes  and  duties  detailed  in  this  work.  That 
this  may  be  more  fully  realized,  the  writer  will  detail 
some  instances,  which  have  come  under  her  own  obser- 
vation. 

The  eldest  daughter  of  a  family  returned  from  school, 
on  a  visit,  at  sixteen  years  of  age.  Before  her  vacation 
had  closed,  her  mother  was  laid  in  the  grave  ;  and  such 
were  her  father's  circumstances,  that  she  was  obliged  to 
assume  the  cares  and  duties  of  her  lost  parent.  The 


64  DOMESTIC    ECONOMY    AS    A 

care  of  an  infant,  the  management  of  young  children, 
the  superintendence  of  domestics,  the  charge  of  family 
expenses,  the  responsibility  of  entertaining  company, 
and  the  many  other  cares  of  the  family  state,  all  at  once 
came  upon  this  young  and  inexperienced  schoolgirl. 

Again ;  a  young  lady  went  to  reside  with  a  married 
sister,  in  a  distant  State.  While  on  this  visit,  the  elder 
sister  died,  and  there  was  no  one  but  this  young  lady  to 
fill  the  vacant  place,  and  assume  all  the  cares  of  the 
nursery,  parlor,  and  kitchen. 

Again ;  a  pupil  of  the  writer,  at  the  end  of  her  school- 
days, married,  and  removed  to  the  West.  She  was  an 
entire  novice  in  all  domestic  matters ;  an  utter  stranger 
in  the  place  to  which  she  removed.  In  a  year,  she  be- 
came a  mother,  and  her  health  failed ;  while,  for  most 
of  the  time,  she  had  no  domestics,  at  all,  or  only  Irish 
or  Germans,  who  scarcely  knew  even  the  names,  or  the 
uses,  of  many  cooking  utensils.  She  was  treated  with 
politeness  by  her  neighbors,  and  wished  to  return  their 
civilities ;  but  how  could  this  young  and  delicate  crea- 
ture, who  had  spent  all  her  life  at  school,  or  in  visiting 
and  amusement,  take  care  of  her  infant,  attend  to  her 
cooking,  washing,  ironing,  and  baking,  the  concerns  of 
her  parlor,  chambers,  kitchen,  and  cellar,  and  yet  visit 
and  receive  company  ?  If  there  is  any  thing  that  would 
make  a  kindly  heart  ache,  with  sorrow  and  sympathy 
it  would  be  to  see  so  young,  so  amiable,  so  helpless  a 
martyr  to  the  mistaken  system  of  female  education  now 
prevalent.  "  I  have  the  kindest  of  husbands,"  said  the 
young  wife,  after  her  narrative  of  sufferings,  "and  I 
never  regretted  my  marriage ;  but,  since  this  babe  was 
born,  I  have  never  had  a  single  waking  hour  of  freedom 
from  anxiety  and  care.  O  !  how  little  young  girls  know 
what  is  before  them,  when  they  enter  married  life!" 
Let  the  mother  or  teacher,  whose  eye  may  rest  on  these 
lines,  ask  herself,  if  there  is  no  cause  for  fear  that  the 
young  objects  of  her  care  may  be  thrown  into  similar 
emergencies,  where  they  may  need  a  kind  of  prepara- 
tion, which  as  yet  has  been  withheld. 


BRANCH    OF    STCDY.  65 

Another  reason  for  introducing  such  a  subject,  as  a 
distinct  branch  of  school  education,  is,  that,  as  a  general 
fact,  young  ladies  will  not  be  taught  these  things  in  any 
other  way.  In  reply  to  the  thousand-times-repeated 
remark,  that  girls  must  be  taught  their  domestic  duties 
by  their  mothers,  at  home,  it  may  be  inquired,  in  the 
first  place,  What  proportion  of  mothers  are  qualified  to 
teach  a  proper  and  complete  system  of  Domestic  Econ 
omy  ?  When  this  is  answered,  it  may  be  asked,  What 
proportion  of  those  who  are  qualified,  have  that  sense 
of  the  importance  of  such  instructions,  and  that  energy 
and  perseverance  which  would  enable1  them  actually  to 
teach  their  daughters,  in  all  the  branches  of  Domestic 
Economy  presented  in  this  work  ? 

It  may  then  be  asked,  How  many  mothers  actually  do 
give  their  daughters  instruction  in  the  various  branches 
of  Domestic  Economy  ?  Is  it  not  the  case,  that,  owing 
to  ill  health,  deficiency  of  domestics,  and  multiplied  cares 
and  perplexities,  a  large  portion  of  the  most  intelligent 
mothers,  and  those,  too,  who  most  realize  the  importance 
of  this  instruction,  actually  cannot  find  the  time,  and 
have  not  the  energy,  necessary  to  properly  perform  the 
duty  ?  They  are  taxed  to  the  full  amount  of  both  their 
mental  and  physical  energies,  and  cannot  attempt  any 
thing  more.  Almost  -every  woman  knows,  that  it  is 
easier  to  do  the  work,  herself,  than  it  is  to  teach  an 
awkward  and  careless  novice ;  and  the  great  majority 
of  women,  in  this  Country,  are  obliged  to  do  almost 
every  thing  in  the  shortest  and  easiest  way.  This  is 
one  reason  why  the  daughters  of  very  energetic  and  ac- 
complished housekeepers  are  often  the  most  deficient 
in  these  respects;  while  the  daughters  of  ignorant  or 
inefficient  mothers,  driven  to  the  exercise  of  their 
own  energies,  often  become  the  most  systematic  and 
expert. 

It  may  be  objected,  that  such  things  cannot  be  taught 
by  books.    This  position  may  fairly  be  questioned.    Do 
not  young  ladies  learn,  from  books,  how  to  make  hydro- 
gen and  oxygen  ?     Do  they  not  have  pictures  of  fur 
6*  p.  E. 


06  DOMESTIC    ECONOMY    AS    A 

naces,  alembics,  and  the  various  utensils  employed  in 
cooking  the  chemical  agents  ?  Do  they  not  study  the 
various  processes  of  mechanics,  and  learn  to  understand 
and  to  do  many  as  difficult  operations,  as  any  that  be- 
long to  housekeeping  ?  All  these  things  are  explained, 
studied,  and  recited  in  classes,  when  every  one  knows 
that  little  practical  use  can  ever  be  made  of  this  knowl- 
edge. Why,  then,  should  not  that  science  and  art, 
which  a  woman  is  to  practise  during  her  whole  life,  be 
studied  and  recited  ? 

It  may  be  urged,  that,  even  if  it  is  studied,  it  will 
soon  be  forgotten.  And  so  will  much  of  every  thing 
studied  at  school.  But  why  should  that  knowledge, 
most  needful  for  daily  comfort,  most  liable  to  be  in  de- 
mand, be  the  only  study  omitted,  because  it  may  be 
forgotten  ? 

It  may  also  be  objected,  that  young  ladies  can  get 
such  books,  and  attend  to  them  out  of  school.  And  so 
they  can  get  books  on  Chemistry  and  Philosophy,  and 
study  them  out  of  school ;  but  will  they  do  it  ?  And 
why  ought  we  not  t<?  make  sure  of  the  most  necessary 
knowledge,  and  let  the  less  needful  be  omitted  ?  It 
young  ladies  study  such  a  work  as  this,  in  school,  they 
will  remember  a  great  part  of  it ;  and,  when  they  for- 
get, in  any  emergency,  they  will  know  where  to  resort 
for  instruction.  But  if  such  books  are  not  put  into 
schools,  probably  not  one  in  twenty  will  see  or  hear  of 
them,  especially  in  those  retired  places  where  they  are 
most  needed.  And  is  it  at  all  probable,  that  a  branch, 
which  is  so  lightly  esteemed  as  to  be  deemed  unworthy 
a  place  in  the  list  of  female  studies,  will  be  sought  for 
and  learned  by  young  girls,  who  so  seldom  look  into 
works  of  solid  instruction  after  they  leave  school  ?  So 
deeply  is  the  writer  impressed  with  the  importance  of 
this,  as  a  branch  of  female  education,  at  school,  that 
she  would  deem  it  far  safer  and  wiser  to  omit  any  other> 
rather  than  this. 

Another  reason,  for  introducing  such  a  branch  of 
study  into  female  schools,  is,  the  influence  it  would  e\- 


BRANCH    OF    STUDY.  67 

ert,  in  leading  young  ladies  more  correctly  to  estimate 
the  importance  and  dignity  of  domestic  knowledge. 
It  is  now  often  the  case,  that  young  ladies  rather  pride\ 
themselves  on  their  ignorance  of  such  subjects ;  and 
seem  to  imagine  that  it  is  vulgar  and  ungenteel  to 
know  how  to  work.  This  is  one  of  the  relics  of  an 
aristocratic  state  of  society,  which  is  fast  passing  away. 
Here,  the  tendency  of  every  thing  is  to  the  equalisation 
of  labor,  so  that  all  classes  are  feeling,  more  and  more, 
that  indolence  is  disreputable.  And  there  are  many 
mothers,  among  the  best  educated  and  most  wealthy  - 
classes,  who  are  bringing  up  their  daughters,  not  only 
to  know  how  to  do,  but  actually  to  do,  all  kinds  of  do 
mestic  work.  The  writer  knows  young  ladies,  who  are 
daughters  of  men  of  wealth  and  standing,  and  who 
are  among  the  most  accomplished  in  their  sphere,  who 
have  for  months  been  sent  to  work  with  a  mantuama- 
ker,  to  acquire  a  practical  knowledge  of  her  occupation, 
and  who  have  at  home  learned  to  perform  all  kinds  of 
domestic  labor. 

And  let  the  young  women  of  this  Nation  find,  that 
Domestic  Economy  is  placed,  in  schools,  on  equal  or 
superior  ground  to  Chemistry,  Philosophy;  and  Mathe- 
matics, and  they  will  blush  to  be  found  ignorant  of  its 
first  principles,  as  much  as  they  will  to  hesitate  respect- 
ing the  laws  of  gravity,  or  the  composition  of  the  at- 
mosphere. But,  as  matters  are  now  conducted,  many 
young  ladies  know  how  to  make  oxygen  and  hydrogen, 
and  to  discuss  questions  of  Philosophy  or  Political 
Economy,  far  better  than  they  know  how  to  make  a 
bed  and  sweep  a  room  properly ;  and  they  can  "  con- 
struct a  diagram"  in  Geometry,  with  far  more  skill  than 
they  can  make  the  simplest  article  of  female  dress. 

It  may  be  urged,  that  the  plan  suggested  by  the 
writer,  in  the  previous  pages,  would  make  such  a  book 
as  this  needless  ;  for  young  ladies  would  learn  all  these 
things  at  home,  before  they  go  to  school.  But  it  must 
be  remembered,  that  the  plan  suggested  cannot  fully  be 
carried  into  effect,  till  such  endowed  institutions,  as  the 


68  ON    THE    CARE    OF    HEALTH. 

one  described,  are  universally  furnished.  This  jroba- 
bly  will  not  be  done,  till  at  least  one  generation  of 
young  women  are  educated.  It  is  only  on  the  suppo- 
sition that  a  young  lady  can,  at  fourteen  or  fifteen  years 
of  age,  enter  such  an  institution,  and  continue  there 
three  years,  that  it  would  be  easy  to  induce  her  to  re- 
main, during  all  the  previous  period,  at  home,  in  the 
practice  of  Domestic  Economy,  and  the  limited  course 
of  study  pointed  out.  In  the  present  imperfect,  desul- 
tory, varying,  mode  of  female  education,  where  studies 
are  begun,  changed,  partially  learned,  and  forgotten,  it 
requires  nearly  all  the  years  of  a  woman's  youth,  to 
acquire  the  intellectual  education  now  demanded 
While  this  state  of  things  continues,  the  only  remedy 
is,  to  introduce  Domestic  Economy  as  a  study  at  school. 
It  is  hoped  that  these  considerations  will  have  weight, 
not  only  with  parents  and  teachers,  but  with  young  la- 
dies themselves,  and  that  all  will  unite  their  influence 
to  introduce  this,  as  a  popular  and  universal  branch  of 
education,  into  every  female  school. 


CHAPTER  V. 

ON    THE    CARE    OF    HEALTH. 

'HERE  is  no  point,  where  a  woman  is  more  liable  to 
suffer  from  a  want  of  knowledge  and  experience,  than 
in  reference  to  the  health  of  a  family  committed  to  her 
_  care.  Many  a  young  lady,  who  never  had  any  charge 
of  the  sick ;  who  never  took  any  care  of  an  infant ; 
who  never  obtained  information  on  these  subjects  from 
books,  or  from  the  experience  of  others ;  in  short,  with 
little  or  no  preparation  ;  has  found  herself  the  principal 
attendant  in  dangerous  sickness,  the  chief  nurse  of  a 
feeble  infant,  and  the  responsible  guardian  of  the  health 
of  a  whole  family. 

The  care,  the  fear,  the  perplexitv,  of  a  woman,  sud 


ON    THE    CARE    OF    HEALTH.  Oil 

denly  called  to  these  unwonted  duties,  none  can  real- 
ize, till  they  themselves  feel  it,  or  till  they  see  some 
young  and  anxious  novice  first  attempting  to  meet  such 
responsibilities.  To  a  woman  of  age  and  experience, 
these  duties  often  involve  a  measure  of  trial  and  diffi- 
culty, at  times  deemed  almost  insupportable ;  how  hard, 
then,  must  they  press  on  the  heart  of  the  young  and 
inexperienced ! 

There  is  no  really  efficacious  mode  of  preparing  a 
woman  to  take  a  rational  care  of  the  health  of  a  family, 
except  by  communicating  that  knowledge,  in  regard  to 
the  construction  of  the  body,  and  the  laws  of  health, 
which  is  the  basis  of  the  medical  profession.  Not  that 
a  woman  should  undertake  the  minute  and  extensive 
investigation  requisite  for  a  physician ;  but  she  should 
gain  a  general  knowledge  of  first  principles,  as  a  guide 
to  her  judgement  in  emergencies  when  she  can  rely  on 
no  other  aid.  Therefore,  before  attempting  to  give  any 
specific  directions  on  the  subject  of  this  chapter,  a  short 
sketch  of  the  construction  of  the  human  frame  will  be 
given,  with  a  notice  of  some  of  the  general  principles, 
on  which  specific  rules  in  regard  to  health  are  based. 
This  description  will  be  arranged  under  the  general 
heads  of  BONES,  MUSCLES,  NERVES,  BLOOD-VESSELS, 
ORGANS  OF  DIGESTION  AND  RESPIRATION,  and  THE 
SKIN. 


BONES. 


The  bones  are  the  most  solid  parts  of  the  body. 
They  are  designed  to  protect  and  sustain  it,  and  also 
to  secure  voluntary  motion.  They  are  about  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  in  number,  (there  being  sometimes  a  few 
more  or  less,)  and  are  fastened  together  by  cartilage, 
or  gristle,  a  substance  like  the  bones,  but  softer,  and 
more  elastic. 

In  order  to  convey  a  more  clear  and  correct  idea  of 
the  form,  relative  position,  and  connection,  of  the  bones 
constituting  the  human  framework,  the  engraving  on 
page  70,  (Fig.  1,)  is  given. 


70 


ON    THE    CAKE    OF    HEAJLTH 
Fig.  1. 


By  the  preceding  engraving,  it  will  be  seen,  that  the 
cranium,  or  skull,  consists  of  several  distinct  pieces,  which 
are  united  by  sutures,  (or  seams,)  as  represented  by  the 
zigzag  lines  ;  a,  being  the  frontal  bone ;  b,  the  parietal 
bone ;  c,  the  temporal  bone ;  and  d,  the  place  of  the  oc- 
cipital bone,  which  forms  the  back  part  of  the  head,  and 
therefore  is  not  seen  in  the  engraving.  The  nasal  bones, 
or  bones  of  the  nose,  are  shown  at  e ;  f,  is  the  cheelc 
bone ;  g,  the  upper,  and  h,  the  lower,  jaw  bones ;  i,  i, 
the  spinal  column,  or  back  bone,  consisting  of  numerous 


ON    THE    CARE    OF    HEALTH.  71 

small  bones,  called  vertebra ;  j,  j,  the  seven  true  ribs, 
which  are  fastened  to  the  spine,  behind,  and  by  the  cerr- 
tilages,  Jc,  Jc,  to  the  sternum,  or  breast  bone,  I,  in  front ; 
m,  m,  are  the  first  three  false  ribs,  which  are  so  called, 
because  they  are  not  united  directly  to  the  breast  bone, 
jbui,  by  cartilages  to  the  seventh  true  rib ;  n,  n,  are  the 
lower  two  false,  which  are  also  called  floating,. ribs,  be- 
cause they  are  not  connected  with  the  breast  bone,  nor 
the  other  ribs,  in  front ;  o,  o,  p,  q,  are  the  bones  of  the 
pelvis,  which  is  the  foundation  on  which  the  spine  rests ; 
r,  r,  are  the  collar  bones ;  s,  s,  the  shoulder  blades;  t,  t, 
the  bones  of  the  upper  arm ;  u,  u,  the  elbow  joints,  where 
the  bones  of  the  upper  arm  and  fore  arm  are  united  in 
such  a  way  that  they  can  move  like  a  hinge ;  v  w,  v  w, 
are  the  bones  of  the  fore  arm;  x,  x,  those  of  the  wrists ; 
y,  y,  those  of  the  fingers ;  z,  z,  are  the  round  heads  of 
the  thigh  bones,  where  they  are  inserted  into  the  sockets 
of  the  bones  of  the  pelvis,  giving  motion  in  every  direc- 
tion, and  forming  the  hip  joint ;  a  b,  a  b,  are  the  thigh 
bones ;  c,  c,  the  Jcnee  joints ;  d  e,  d  e,  the  leg  bones ;  f,  f, 
the  ankle  joints ;  g,  g,  the.  bones  of  the  foot. 

The  bones  are  composed  of  two  substances, — one 
animal,  and  the  other  mineral.  The  animal  part  is  a 
very  fine  network,  called  the  cellular  membrane.  In 
this,  are  deposited  the  harder  mineral  substances,  which 
are  composed  principally  of  carbonate  and  phosphate 
of  lime.  In  very  early  life,  the  bones  consist  chiefly  of 
the  animal  part,  and  are  then  soft  and  pliant.  As  the 
child  advances  in  age,  the  bones  grow  harder,  by  the 
gradual  deposition  of  the  phosphate  of  lime,  which  is 
supplied  by  the  food,  and  carried  to  the  bones  by  the 
blood.  In  old  age,  the  hardest  material  preponderates  ; 
making  the  bones  more  brittle  than  in  earlier  life. 

As  we  shall  soon  have  occasion  to  refer,  particularly, 
to  the  spinal,  or  vertebral  column,  and  the  derangement 
to  which  it  is  liable,  we  give,  on  page  72,  representa- 
tions of  the  different  classes  of  vertebrae  ;  viz.  the  cervi- 
cal, (from  the  Latin,  cervix,  the  neck,)  the  dorsal,  (from 
dorsnm,  the  back,)  and  lumbar,  (from  lumbus,  the  loins.) 


ON    THE    CARE    OF    HEALTH. 


Fig.  2,  represents  one  of  the  cervical  vertebra.  Seven 
of  these,  placed  one  above  another,  constitute  that  part 
of  the  spine  which  is  in  the  neck. 

Fig.  3. 


Fig.  3,  is  one  of  the  dorsal  vertebra,  twelve  of  which, 
form  the  central  part  of  the  spine. 


Fig.  4. 


ON    THE    CARE    OF    HEALTH.  73 

Fig.  4,  represents  one  of  the  lumbar  vertebra,  (five 
in  number,)  which  are  immediately  above  the  sacrum. 
These  vertebrae  are  so  fastened,  that  the  spine  can 
bend,  in  any  direction ;  and  the  muscles  of  the  trunk 
are  used  in  holding  it  erect,  or  in  varying  its  move- 
ments. 

By  the  drawings  here  presented,  it  will  be  seen,  that 
the  vertebrae  of  the  neck,  back,  and  loins,  differ  some- 
what in  size  and  shape,  although  they  all  possess  the 
same  constituent  parts ;  thus,  A,  in  each,  represents 
the  body  of  the  vertebrae  ;  B,  the  articulating  processes, 
by  which  each  is  joined  to  its  fellow,  above  and  below 
it ;  C,  the  spinous  process,  or  that  part  of  the  vertebrae, 
which  forms  the  ridge  to  be  felt,  on  pressure,  the  whole 
length  of  the  centre  of  the  back.  The  back  bone  re- 
ceives its  name,  spine,  or  spinal  column,  from  these 
spinous  processes. 

It  is  the  universal  law  of  the  human  frame,  that  exer 
cise  is  indispensable  to  the  health  of  the  several  parts. 
Thus,  if  a  blood-vessel  be  tied  up,  so  as  not  to  be  used, 
it  shrinks,  and  becomes  a  useless  string ;  if  a  muscle  be 
condemned  to  inaction,  it  shrinks  in  size,  and  diminishes 
in  power ;  and  thus  it  is  also  with  the  bones.  Inactivi- 
ty produces  softness,  debility,  and  unfitness  for  the  func- 
tions they  are  designed  to  perform.  This  is  one  of  the 
causes  of  the  curvature  of  the  spine,  that  common  and 
pernicious  defect  in  the  females  of  America.  From  in- 
activity, the  bones  of  the  spine  become  soft  and  yielding ; 
and  then,  if  the  person  is  often  placed,  for  a  length  of 
time,  in  positions  that  throw  the  weight  of  the  body 
unequally  on  certain  portions  of  the  spine,  they  yield  to 
this  frequent  compression,  and  a  distortion  ensues.  The 
positions  taken  by  young  persons,  when  learning  to  write 
or  draw,  or  to  play  on  the  guitar,  harp,  or  piano,  and 
the  position  of  the  body  when  sleeping  on  one  side,  on 
high  pillows,  all  tend  to  produce  this  effect,  by  throwing 
the  weight  of  the  body  unequally,  and  for  a  length  of 
time,  on  particular  parts  of  the  spine. 

7  D.  E. 


74 


ON   THE    CARE    OF    HEALTH. 

Fig.  5. 


MUSCLES, 


The  muscles  are  the  chief  organs  of  motion,  and  con 
sist  of  collections  of  fine  fibres  or  strings,  united  in 


ON    THE    CARE    OF    HEALTH.  75 

casings  of  membrane  or  thin  skin.  They  possess  an 
elastic  power,  like  India  rubber,  which  enables  them  to 
extend  and  contract.  The  red  meat  in  animals  consists 
of  muscles.  Every  muscle  has  connected  with  it  nerves, 
veins,  and  arteries ;  and  those  designed  to  move  the 
bones,  are  fastened  to  them  by  tendons  at  their  extrem 
ities.  The  muscles  are  laid  over  each  other,  and  are 
separated  by  means  of  membranes  and  layers  of  fat, 
which  enable  them  to  move  easily,  without  interfering 
with  each  other. 

The  figure  on  page  74,  represents  the  muscles  of  the 
arm,  as  they  appear  when  the  skin  and  fat  are  removed. 
The  muscles  a  and  b  are  attached,  at  their  upper  ends,  to 
the  bone  of  the  arm,  and  by  their  lower  ends  to  the  upper 
part  of  the  fore  arm,  near  the  elbow  joint.  When  the 
fibres  of  these  muscles  contract,  the  middle  part  of  them 
grows  larger,  and  the  arm  is  bent  at  the  elbow.  The 
muscle  Cj  is,  in  like  manner,  fastened,  by  its  upper  end, 
to  the  shoulder  blade  and  the  upper  part  of  the  arm, 
and  by  its  lower  end  to  one  of  the  bones  of  the  fore 
arm,  near  the  elbow.  When  the  arm  is  bent,  and 
we  wish  to  straighten  it,  it  is  done  by  contracting  this 
muscle.  The  muscles  d,  d,  are  fastened  at  one  end 
near  the  elbow  joint,  and  at  the  other  near  the  ends  of 
the  fingers ;  and  on  the  back  of  the  hand  are  reduced 
in  size,  appearing  like  strong  cords.  These  cords  are 
called  tendons.  They  are  employed  in  straightening  the 
fingers,  when  the  hand  is  shut.  These  tendons  are 
confined  by  the  ligament  or  band,  e,  which  binds  them 
down,  around  the  wrist,  and  thus  enables  them  to  act 
more  efficiently,  and  secures  beauty  of  form  to  the  limb. 
The  muscles  at  f,  are  those  which  enable  us  to  turn  the 
hand  and  arm  outward.  Every  different  motion  of  the 
arm  has  one  muscle  to  produce  it,  and  another  to  restore 
the  limb  to  its  natural  position.  Those  muscles  which 
bend  the  body  are  called  flexors ;  those  which  straighten 
it,  extensors.  When  the  arm  is  thrown  up,  one  set  of 
muscles  is  used  ;  to  pull  it  down,  another*  set :  when  it 
is  thrown  forward,  a  still  different  set  is  used ;  when  it 


i 


•yg  ON    THE    CARE    OF     HEALTH. 

is  thrown  back,  another,  different  from  the  former  ;  when 
the  arm  turns  in  its  socket,  still  another  set  is  used  ;  and 
thus  every  different  motion  of  the  body  is  made  by  a 
different  set  of  muscles.  All  these  muscles  are  compact- 
ly and  skilfully  arranged,  so  as  to  work  with  perfect 
ease.  Among  them,  run  the  arteries,  veins,  and  nerves, 
which  supply  each  muscle  with  blood  and  nervous  power, 
as  will  be  hereafter  described.  The  size  and  strength 
of  the  muscles  depend  greatly  on  their  frequent  exer- 
cise. If  left  inactive,  they  grow  thin  and  weak,  instead 
of  giving  the  plumpness  to  the  figure,  designed  by  Na- 
ture. The  delicate  and  feeble  appearance  of  many 
American  women,  is  chiefly  owing  to  the  little  use  they 
make  of  their  muscles.  Many  a  pale,  puny,  shad-shaped 
girl,  would  have  become  a  plump,  rosy,  well-formed 
person,  if  half  the  exercise,  afforded  to  her  brothers  in 
the  open  air,  had  been  secured  to  her,  during  childhood 
and  youth. 

NERVES. 

The  nerves  are  the  organs  of  sensation.  They  enable 
us  to  see,  hear,  feel,  taste,  and  smell ;  and  also  combine 
with  the  bones  and  muscles  in  producing  motion. 

The  first  engraving,  on  p.  77,  (Fig.  6,)  is  a  vertical 
section  of  the  skull,  and  of  the  spinal  column,  or  back 
bone,  which  supports  the  head,  and  through  which  runs 
the  spinal  cord,  whence  most  of  the  nerves  originate.  It 
is  a  side  view,  and  represents  the  head  and  spine,  as 
they  would  appear,  if  they  were  cut  through  the  mid- 
dle, from  front  to  back.  Fig.  7,  exhibits  them  as  they 
would  appear,  if  viewed  from  behind.  In  Fig.  6,  a, 
represents  the  cerebrum,  or  great  brain ;  5,  the  cerebel- 
lum, or  little  brain,  which  is  situated  directly  under  the 
great  brain,  at  the  back  and  lower  part  of  the  head; 
£,  d,  e,  is  the  spinal  marrow,  which  is  connected  with 
the  brain  at  c,  and  runs  through  the  whole  length  of  the 
spinal  column.  This  column  consists,  as  has  already 
been  stated,  of  a  large  number  of  small  bones,  /,  /, 
called  vertebra,  laid  one  above  another,  and  fastened 
together  by  cartHtigf.  or  grutle-g.  between  them. 


ON    THE    CAP*     OF    HEALTH. 


Fig.  7. 


78  ON   THE    CARE    OF    HEALTH. 

Between  each  two  vertebrae,  or  spinal  bones,  there 
issues  from  the  spine,  on  each  side,  a  pair  of  nerves. 
The  lower  broad  part  of  the  spine,  (see  p,  Fig.  1, 
p.  70,  and  Fig.  7,  p.  77,)  is  called  the  sacrum ;  in  ihis, 
are  eight  holes,  through  which  the  lower  pairs  of  nerves 
pass  off. 

The  nerves  of  the  head  and  lungs  run  directly  from 
the  brain ;  those  of  all  other  parts  of  the  body  proceed 
from  the  spine,  passing  out  in  the  manner  already  men- 
tioned. 

The  nerves  which  thus  proceed  from  the  spine,  branch 
out,  like  the  limbs  and  twigs  of  a  tree,  till  they  extend 
over  the  whole  body ;  and,  so  minutely  are  they  divi- 
ded and  arranged,  that  a  point,  destitute  of  a  nerve, 
cannot  be  found  on  the  skin. 

Some  idea  of  the  ramifications  of  the  nerves,  may 
be  obtained  by  reference  to  the  following  engraving, 
(Fig.  8.)  In  this,  A,  A,  represents  the  cerebrum,  or 
great  brain ;  B,  B,  the  cerebellum,  or  little  brain ;  (see 
also  a,  b,  in  Fig.  6 ;)  C,  C,  represents  the  union  of  the 
fibres  of  the  cerebrum ;  D,  D,  the  union  of  the  two  sides 
of  the  cerebellum ;  E,  E,  E,  the  spinal  marrow,  which 
passes  through  the  centre  of  the  spine,  (as  seen  at  c,  d,  e, 
in  Fig.  6 ;)  1,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  branches  of  the  nerves  going 
to  different  parts  of  the  body.  As  the  nerves  are  the 
organs  of  sensation,  all  pain  is  an  affection  of  some 
portion  of  the  nerves.  The  health  of  the  nerves  de- 
pends very  greatly  on  the  exercise  of  the  muscles,  with 
which  they  are  so  intimately  connected.  This  shows 
the  reason  why  the  headache,  tic  douloureux,  diseases 
of  the  spine,  and  other  nervous  affections,  are  so  com- 
mon among  American  women.  Their  inactive  habits, 
engender  a  debility  of  the  nervous  system,  and  these 
diseases  follow,  as  the  consequence. 


ON    THE    CARE    OF    HEALTH. 

Fig.  8. 


79 


80  ON    THE    CARE    OF    HEALTH. 

It  can  be  seen,  by  a  reference  to  the  side  -view,  repre- 
sented on  page  77,  (Fig.  6,)  that  the  spine  is  naturally 
curved  back  and  forward.  When,  from  want  of  exer- 
cise, its  bones  are  softened,  and  the  muscles  weakened, 
the  spine  acquires  an  improper  curve,  and  the  person  be- 
comes what  is  called  crooked,  having  the  neck  projected 
forward,  and,  in  some  cases,  having  the  back  convex, 
where  it  should  be  concave.  Probably  one  half  of  the 
American  women  have  the  head  thus  projecting  for- 
ward, instead  of  carrying  it  in  the  natural,  erect  position, 
which  is  both  graceful  and  dignified. 

The  curvature  of  the  spine,  spoken  of  in  this  work 
as  so  common,  and  as  the  cause  of  so  many  diseases 
among  American  women,  is  what  is  denominated  the 
lateral  curvature,  and  is  much  more  dangerous  than  the 
other  distortion.  The  indications  of  this  evil,  are,  the 
projection  of  one  shoulder  blade  more  than  the  other, 
and,  in  bad  cases,  one  shoulder  being  higher,  and  the 
hip  on  the  opposite  side  more  projecting,  than  the  other. 
In  this  case,  the  spine,  when  viewed  from  behind,  in- 
stead of  running  in  a  straight  line,  (as  in  Fig.  7  and  9,) 
is  curved  somewhat,  as  may  be  seen  in  Figures  10 
and  11. 

This  effect  is  occasioned  by  the  softness  of  the  bones, 
induced  by  want  of  exercise,  together  with  tight  dress- 
ing, which  tends  to  weaken  the  muscles  that  are  thus 
thrown  out  of  use.  Improper  and  long  continued  po- 
sitions in  drawing,  writing,  and  sleeping,  which  throw 
the  weight  of  the  body  on  one  part  of  the  spine,  in- 
duce the  same  evil.  This  distortion  is  usually  accom- 
panied with  some  consequent  disease  of  the  nervous 
system,  or  some  disarrangement  of  the  internal  organs. 

By  comparing  Figures  9  and  1 1 ,  the  difference  be- 
tween a  natural  and  distorted  spine  will  be  readily 
perceived.  In  Fig.  10,  the  curved  line  shows  the 
course  of  the  spine,  occasioned  by  distortion ;  the  per- 
pendicular line,  in  this  and  Fig.  1 1 ,  indicates  the  true 
direction  of  the  s^ine ;  the  horizontal  lines  show  that 
one  shoulder  ard  hip  are  forced  from  their  proper  level. 


ON    THE    CARE    OF    HEALTH. 


31 


BLOOD-VESSELS. 


The  blood  is  the  fluid  into  which  our  food  is  changed, 
and  which  is  employed  to  minister  nourishment  to  the 
whole  body.  For  this  purpose,  it  is  carried  to  every 
part  of  the  body,  by  the  arteries;  and,  after  it  has 


ON    THE    CARE    OP    HEALTH. 


given  out  its  nourishment,  returns  to  the  heart,  through 
the  veins. 

The  subjoined  engraving,  (Fig.  12,)  which  presents 
a  rude  outline  of  the  vascular  system,  will  more  clearly 
illustrate  this  operation,  as  we  shall  presently  show 


Fig.  12. 


ON    THE    CARE    OF    HEALTH.  83 

Before  entering  the  heart,  the  blood  receives  a 
fresh  supply  of  nourishment,  by  a  duct  which  leads 
from  the  stomach.  The  arteries  have  their  origin  from 
the  heart,  in  a  great  trunk,  called  the  aorta,  which  is  the 
parent  of  all  the  arteries,  as  the  spinal  marrow  is  the  pa- 
rent of  the  nerves  which  it  sends  out.  When  the  arteries 
have  branched  out  into  myriads  of  minute  vessels,  the 
blood  which  is  in  them  passes  into  as  minute  veins; 
and  these  run  into  each  other,  like  the  rills  and  branches 
of  a  river,  until  they  are  all  united  in  two  great  veins, 
which  run  into  the  heart.  One  of  these  large  receivers, 
called  the  vena  cava  superior,  or  upper  vena  cava,  brings 
back  the  blood  from  the  arms  and  head,  the  other,  the 
vena  cava  inferior,  or  lower  vena  cava,  brings  back  the 
blood  from  the  body  and  lower  limbs. 

In  the  preceding  figure,  H,  is  the  heart,  which  is 
divided  into  four  compartments ;  two,  called  auricles, 
used  for  receiving  the  blood,  and  two,  called  ventricles, 
used  for  sending  cut  the  blood.  A,  is  the  aorta,  or  great 
artery,  which  sends  its  branches  to  every  part  of  the  body. 
In  the  upper  part,  at  a,  a,  a,  are  the  main  branches  of  the 
aorta,  which  go  to  the  head  and  arms.  Below,  at  a,  a, 
are  the  branches  which  go  to  the  lower  limbs.  The 
branches  which  set  off  at  X,  X,  are  those  by  which  the 
intestines  are  supplied  by  vessels  from  the  aorta.  Every 
muscle  in  the  whole  body,  all  the  organs  of  the  body,  and 
the  skin,  are  supplied  by  branches  sent  off  from  this  great 
artery.  When  the  blood  is  thus  dispersed  through  any 
organ,  in  minute  vessels,  it  is  received,  at  their  termina- 
tions, by  numerous  minute  veins,  which  gradually  unite, 
forming  larger  branches,  till  they  all  meet  in  either  the 
upper  or  lower  vena  cava,  which  returns  the  blood  to 
the  heart.  V  I,  is  the  vena  cava  inferior,  which  re- 
ceives the  blood  from  the  veins  of  the  lower  parts  of 
the  body,  as  seen  at  v,  v.  The  blood,  sent  into  tho 
lower  limbs  from  the  aorta,  is  received  by  minute  veins, 
which  finally  unite  at  v,  v,  and  thus  it  is  emptied  through 
the  lower  vena  cava  into  the  heart :  o,  o,  represent  the 
points  of  entrance  of  those  tributaries  of  the  vena  cava, 


84  ON    THE    CARE    OF    HEALTH 

which  receive  that  blood  from  the  intestines,  which  ia 
sent  out  by  the  aorta  at  X,  X.  In  the  upper  part,  V  S, 
is  the  vena  cava  superior,  which  receives  the  blood  from 
the  head  and  arms;  v,  v,  v,  are  the  tributaries  of  the 
upper  vena  cava,  which  bring  the  blood  back  from  the 
head  and  arms ;  d,  d,  represents  the  course  of  the  thora- 
cic duct,  a  delicate  tube  by  which  the  chyle  is  carried 
into  the  blood,  as  mentioned  on  page  89 ;  t,  shows  the 
place  where  this  duct  empties  into  a  branch  of  the 
vena  cava. 

It  thus  appears,  that  wherever  a  branch  of  the  aorta 
goes  to  carry  blood,  there  will  be  found  a  tributary  of 
the  upper  or  lower  vena  cava,  to  bring  it  back. 

The  succeeding  engravings,  will  enable  the  reader  to 
form  a  more  definite  idea  of  this  important  function  of 
the  system, — the  circulation  of  the  blood.  The  heart, 
in  man,  and  in  all  warm-blooded  animals,  is  double, 
having  two  auricles  and  two  ventricles.  In  animals 
with  cold  blood,  (as  fishes,)  the  heart  is  single,  having 
but  one  auricle  and  one  ventricle.  Fig.  13,  represents 
the  double  heart  as  it  appears  when  the  two  sides  are 
separated,  and  also  the  great  blood-vessels;  those  on 
the  left  of  the  figure  being  on  the  right  side  of  the 
body,  and  vice  versa.  The  direction  of  the  blood  is 
represented  by  the  arrows.  A,  represents  the  lower 
vena  cava,  returning  the  blood  from  the  lower  parts  of 
the  body,  and  L,  the  upper  vena  cava,  returning  the 
blood  from  the  head  and  arms.  B,  is  the  right  sinus, 
or  auricle,  into  which  the  returned  blood  is  poured. 
From  this  cavity  of  the  heart,  the  blood  is  carried 
into  the  right  ventricle,  C ;  and  from  this  ventricle, 
the  pulmonary  arteries,  D,  convey  into  the  lungs  the 
blood  which  is  returned  from  the  body.  These  five 
vessels,  A,  B,  C,  D,  and  L,  belong  to  the  right  side 
of  the  heart,  and  contain  the  venous  or  dark-colored 
blood,  which  has  been  through  the  circulation,  and 
is  now  unfit  for  the  uses  of  the  system,  till  it  ha3 
passed  through  the  lungs. 


ON   THE    CARE    OF    HEALTH 

Fig.  13. 


When  the  blood  reaches  the  lungs,  and  is  exposed  to 
the  action  of  the  air  which  we  breathe,  it  throws  off  its 
impurities,  becomes  bright  in  color,  and  is  then  called 
arterial  blood.  It  then  returns  to  the  left  side  of  the 
heart,  (on  the  right  of  the  engraving,)  by  the  pulmonary 
veins,  E,  E,  (also  seen  at  m,  m,  Fig.  15,)  into  the  left 
auricle  F,  whence  it  is  forced  into  the  ventricle,  G. 
From  the  left  ventricle,  proceeds  the  aorta,  H,  H, 
which  is  the  great  artery  of  the  body,  and  conveys 
the  blood  to  every  part  of  the  system.  I,  J,  K,  are 
branches  of  the  aorta,  going  to  the  head  and  arms. 


D.  E. 


86 


ON  THE  CARP:  OP  HEALTH. 

Fig.  14 


Fig,  14,  represents  the  heart,  with  its  two  sides 
united  as  in  nature ;  and  will  be  understood  from  the 
description  of  Fig.  13. 

On  the  opposite  page,  Fig.  15,  represents  the  heart, 
with  the  great  blood-vessels,  on  a  still  larger  scale ;  a, 
being  the  left  ventricle ;  b,  the  right  ventricle ;  c,  e,f,  the 
aorta,  or  great  artery,  rising  out  of  the  left  ventricle ; 
g,  h,  i,  the  branches  of  the  aorta,  going  to  the  head  and 
arms ;  Jc,  I,  I,  the  pulmonary  artery,  and  its  branches ; 
m,  m,  veins  of  the  lungs,  which  bring  the  blood  back 
from  the  lungs  to  the  heart ;  n,  right  auricle ;  o,  vena 
cava  inferior ;  p,  veins  returning  blood  from  the  liver 
and  bowels ;  q,  the  vena  cava  superior ;  r,  the  left  auri- 
cle; s,  the  left  coronary  artery,  which  distributes  the 
blood  exclusively  to  the  substance  of  the  heart. 


ON    THE    CARE    OF    HEALTH.  87 


ORGANS    OP    DIGESTION    AND    RESPIRATION. 

Digestion  and  respiration  are  the  processes,  by  which 
the  food  is  converted  into  blood  for  the  nourishment  of 
the  body.  The  engraving  on  the  next  page  (Fig.  16) 
shows  the  organs  by  which  these  operations  are  per- 
formed. 

In  the  lower  part  of  the  engraving,  is  the  stomach, 
marked  S,  which  receives  the  food  through  the  gullet, 
marked  G.  The  latter,  though  in  the  engraving  it  is 
cut  off  at  G,  in  reality  continues  upwards  to  the  throat. 
The  stomach  is  a  bag  composed  of  muscles,  nerves,  and 
blood-vessels,  united  by  a  material  similar  to  that  which 
forms  the  skin.  As  soon  as  food  enters  the  stomach, 
its  nerves  are  excited  to  perform  their  proper  function 
of  stimulating  the  muscles.  A  muscular  (called  the 
peristaltic)  motion  immediately  commences,  by  which 
the  stomach  propels  its  contents  around  the  whole  of 
ts  circumference,  once  in  every  three  minutes. 


88 


ON    THE    CARE    OF    HEALTH. 


This  movement  of  the  muscles  attracts  the  blood  from 
•)ther  parts  of  the  system ;  for  the  blood  always  hastens 
to  administer  its  supplies  to  any  organ  which  is  called 
to  work.  The  blood-vessels  of  the  stomach  are  soon 
distended  with  blood,  from  which  the  gastric  juice  is 
secreted  by  minute  vessels  in  the  coat  of  the  stomach. 


ON    THE    CARE    OF     IIEAJLTH.  89 

This  mixes  with  the  food,  and  reduces  it  to  a  soft  pulpy 
mass,  called  chyme.  It  then  passes  through  the  lower 
end  of  the  stomach,  into  the  intestines,  which  are  folded 
up  in  the  abdomen,  and  the  upper  portion,  only,  of  which, 
is  shown  in  the  engraving,  at  A,  A.  The  organ  marked 
L,  L,  is  the  liver,  which,  as  the  blood  passes  through  its 
many  vessels,  secretes  a  substance  called  bile,  which 
accumulates  in  the  gall-bladder,  marked  B.  After  the 
food  passes  out  of  the  stomach,  it  receives  from  the 
liver  a  portion  of  bile,  and  from  the  pancreas  the  pan- 
creatic juice.  The  pancreas  does  not  appear  in  this 
drawing,  being  concealed  behind  the  stomach.  These 
two  liquids  separate  the  substance  which  has  passed 
from  the  stomach,  into  two  different  portions.  One  is 
a  light  liquid,  very  much  like  cream  in  appearance,  and 
called  chyle,  of  which  the  blood  is  formed ;  the  other  is 
a  more  solid  substance,  which  contains  the  refuse  and 
useless  matter,  with  a  smaller  portion  of  nourishment ; 
and  this,  after  being  further  separated  from  the  nour- 
ishing matter  which  it  contains,  is  thrown  out  of  the 
body.  There  are  multitudes  of  small  vessels,  called 
lacteals,  which,  as  these  two  mixed  substances  pass1 
through  the  long  and  winding  folds  of  the  intestines  in 
the  abdomen,  absorb  the  chyle,  and  convey  it  to  the 
thoracic  duct,  which  runs  up  close  by  the  spine,  and 
carries  the  chyle,  thus  received,  into  a  branch  of  the 
vena  cava  superior,  at  t,  whence  it  is  mingled  with  the 
blood  going  into  the  heart.  In  this  engraving,  the  lac- 
teals  and  thoracic  duct  are  not  shown ;  but  their  position 
is  indicated  by  the  dotted  lines,  marked  X,  Y ;  X,  being 
the  lacteals,  and  Y,  the  thoracic  duct. 

In  the  upper  half  of  the  engraving,  H  represents  the 
heart ;  a,  the  commencement  of  the  aorta ;  v  c  s,  the 
termination  of  the  vena  cava  superior.  On  each  side 
of  the  heart,  are  the  lungs ;  1 1,  being  the  left  lobe,  and 
r  /,  the  right  lobe.  They  are  composed  of  a  network 
of  air-vessels,  blood-vessels,  and  nerves.  W,  represents 
the  trachea,  or  windpipe,  through  which,  the  air  we 
breathe  is  conducted  to  the  lungs.  It  branches  out 

8*  •"•'•        T).  E. 


90  ON    THE    CARE    OF    HEALTH. 

into  myriads  of  minute  vessels^  which  are  thus  filled 
with  air  every  time  we  breathe.  From  the  heart,  run 
the  pulmonary  arteries,  marked  p  a.  These  enter  the 
lungs  and  spread  out  along-side  of  the  branches  of  the 
air-vessels,  so  that  every  air-vessel  has  a  small  artery 
running  side  by  side  with  it.  When  the  two  vena  cavas 
empty  the  blood  into  the  heart,  the  latter  contracts,  and 
sends  this  blood,  through  these  pulmonary  arteries,  into 
the  lungs. 

As  the  air  and  blood  meander,  side  by  side,  through 
the  lungs,  the  superabundant  carbon  and  hydrogen  of 
the  blood  combine  with  the  oxygen  of  the  air,  forming 
carbonic  acid  gas,  and  water,  which  are  thrown  out  of 
the  lungs  at  every  expiration.  This  is  the  process  by 
which  the  chyle  is  converted  into  arterial  blood,  and  the 
venous  blood  purified  of  its  excess  of  carbon  and  hydro- 
gen. When  the  blood  is  thus  prepared,  in  the  lungs, 
for  its  duties,  it  is  received  by  the  small  pulmonary  veins, 
which  gradually  unite,  and  bring  the  blood  back  to 
the  heart,  through  the  large  pulmonary  veins,  marked 
p  v,  p  v. 

On  receiving  this  purified  blood  from  the  lungs,  the 
heart  contracts,  and  sends  it  out  again,  through  the 
aorta,  to  all  parts  of  the  body.  It  then  makes  another 
circuit  through  every  part,  ministering  to  the  wants  of 
all,  and  is  afterwards  again  brought  back  by  the  veins 
to  receive  the  fresh  chyle  from  the  stomach,  and  to  be 
purified  by  the  lungs. 

The  throbbing  of  the  heart  is  caused  by  its  alternate 
expansion  and  contraction,  as  it  receives  and  expels  the 
blood.  With  one  throb,  the  blood  is  sent  from  the  right 
ventricle  into  the  lungs,  and  from  the  left  ventricle  into 
the  aorta. 

Every  time  we  inspire  air,  the  process  of  purifying 
the  blood  is  going  on;  and  every  time  we  expire  the 
air,  we  throw  out  the  redundant  carbon  and  hydrogen, 
taken  from  a  portion  of  the  blood.  If  the  waist  is  com- 
pressed by  tight  clothing,  a  portion  of  the  lungs  be  com- 
pressed, so  that  the  air-vessels  cannot  be  filled.  This 


ON    THE    CARE    OF    HEALTH  91 

prevents  the  perfect  purification  and  preparation  of  the 
blood,  so  that  a  part  returns  back  to  the  heart  unfitted 
for  its  duties.  This  is  a  slow,  but  sure,  method,  by 
which  the  constitution  of  many  a  young  lady  is  so  un- 
dermined that  she  becomes  an  early  victim  to  disease 
and  to  the  decay  of  beauty  and  strength.  The  want 
of  pure  air  is  another  cause  of  the  debility  of  the  female 
constitution.  When  air  has  been  rendered  impure,  by 
the  breath  of  several  persons,  or  by  close  confinement, 
it  does  not  purify  the  blood  properly.  Sleeping  in 
close  chambers,  and  sitting  in  crowded  and  unventilated 
schoolrooms,  are  frequent  causes  of  debility  in  the  con- 
stitution of  young  persons. 

OF    THE    SKIN. 

The  skin  is  the  covering  of  the  body,  and  has  very 
mportant  functions  to  perform.  It  is  more  abundantly 
supplied  with  nerves  and  blood-vessels  than  any  other 
part ;  and  there  is  no  spot  of  the  skin  where  the  point 
of  the  finest  needle  would  not  pierce  a  nerve  and 
blood-vessel.  Indeed,  it  may  be  considered  as  com- 
posed chiefly  of  an  interlacing  of  minute  nerves  and 
blood-vessels,  so  that  it  is  supposed  there  is  more 
nervous  matter  in  the  skin,  than  in  all  the  rest  of  the 
body  united,  and  that  the  greater  portion  of  the  blood 
flows  through  the  skin. 

The  whole  animal  system  is  in  a  state  of  continual 
change  and  renovation.  Food  is  constantly  taken  into 
the  stomach,  only  a  portion  of  which  is  fitted  for  the 
supply  of  the  blood.  All  the  rest  has  to  be  thrown 
out  of  the  system,  by  various  organs  designed  for  this 
purpose.  These  organs  are, — the  lungs,  which  throw 
off  a  portion  of  useless  matter  when  the  blood  is  puri- 
fied ;  the  kidneys,  which  secrete  liquids  that  pass  into 
the  bladder,  and  are  thrown  out  from  the  body  by  that 
organ  ;  and  the  intestines,  which  carry  off  the  useless 
and  more  solid  parts  of  the  food,  after  the  lacteals 
have  drawn  off  the  chyle.  In  addition  to  these  organs, 
the  skin  has  a  similar  duty  to  perform;  and  as  it  haa 


92  ON   THE    CARE    OP    HEALTH. 

so  much  larger  a  supply  of  blood,  it  is  the  chief  organ 
in  reliev'ng  the  body  of  the  useless  and  noxious  parts 
of  the  materials  which  are  taken  for  food. 

Various  experiments  show,  that  not  less  than  a 
pound  and  four  ounces  of  waste  matter  is  thrown  off 
by  the  skin  every  twenty-four  hours.  This  is  accord- 
ing to  the  lowest  calculation.  Most  of  those,  who 
have  made  experiments  to  ascertain  the  quantity,  rep- 
resent it  as  much  greater  ;  and  all  agree,  that  the  skin 
throws  off  more  redundant  matter  from  the  body,  than 
the  whole  of  the  other  organs  together.  In  the  ordi- 
nary state  of  the  skin,  even  when  there  is  no  apparent 
perspiration,  it  is  constantly  exhaling  waste  matter,  in 
a  form  which  is  called  insensible  perspiration,  because 
it  cannot  be  perceived  by  the  senses.  A  very  cool 
mirror,  brought  suddenly  near  to  the  skin,  will  be 
covered,  in  that  part,  with  a  moisture,  which  is  this 
effluvium  thus  made  visible.  When  heat  or  exercise 
excites  the  skin,  this  perspiration  is  increased,  so  as 
to  be  apparent  to  the  senses.  This  shows  the  reason 
why  it  is  so  important  frequently  to  wash  the  entire 
surface  of  the  body.  If  this  be  neglected,  the  pores 
of  the  skin  are  closed  by  the  waste  matter  thrown 
from  the  body,  and  by  small  particles  of  the  thin  scarf- 
skin,  so  that  it  cannot  properly  perform  its  duties.  In 
this  way,  the  other  organs  are  made  to  work  harder,  in 
order  to  perform  the  labor  the  skin  would  otherwise 
accomplish,  and  thus  the  lungs  and  bowels  are  often 
essentially  weakened. 

Another  office  of  the  skin,  is,  to  regulate  the  heat 
of  the  body.  The  action  of  the  internal  organs  is 
constantly  generating  heat ;  and  the  faster  the  blood 
circulates,  the  greater  is  the  heat  evolved.  The  per- 
spiration of  the  skin  serves  to  reduce  and  regulate  this 
heat.  For,  whenever  any  liquid  changes  to  a  vapor, 
it  absorbs  heat  from  whatever  is  nearest  to  it.  The 
faster  the  blood  flows,  the  more  perspiration  is  evolved. 
This  bedews  the  skin  with  a  liquid,  which  the  heat  of 
the  body  turns  to  a  vapor;  and  in  this  change,  that 


ON    THE    CARE    OF    HEALTH.  93 

neat  is  absorbed.  When  a  fever  takes  place,  this  per- 
spiration ceases,  and  the  body  is  afflicted  with  heat. 
Insensible  perspiration  is  most  abundant  during  sleep, 
after  eating,  and  when  friction  is  applied  to  the  skin. 
Perspiration  is  performed  by  the  terminations  of  minute 
arteries  in  every  part  of  the  skin,  which  exude  the  per- 
spiration from  the  blood. 

The  skin  also  performs  another  function.  It  is  pro- 
vided with  a  set  of  small  vessels,  called  absorbents, 
.which  are  exceedingly  abundant  and  minute.  When 
particular  substances  are  brought  in  contact  with  the 
skin,  these  absorbents  take  up  some  portions  and  carry 
them  into  the  blood.  It  is  owing  to  this,  that  opium, 
applied  on  the  skin,  acts  in  a  manner  similar  to  its 
operation  when  taken  into  the  stomach.  The  power 
of  absorption  is  increased  by  friction  ;  and  this  is  the 
reason  that  liniments  are  employed,  with  much  rubbing, 
to  bruises  and  sprains.  The  substance  applied  is  thus 
introduced  into  the  injured  part,  through  the  absorbents. 
This  shows  another  reason  for  frequent  washing  of  the 
skin,  and  for  the  frequent  changes  of  the  garment  next 
the  skin.  Otherwise  portions  of  the  noxious  matter, 
thrown  out  by  the  skin,  are  reabsorbed  into  the  blood, 
and  are  slow  but  sure  causes  of  a  decay  of  the  strength 
of  the  system. 

The  skin  is  also  provided  with  small  follicles,  or 
bags,  which  are  filled  with  an  oily  substance.  This, 
by  gradually  exuding  over  the  skin,  prevents  water 
from  penetrating  and  injuring  its  texture. 

The  skin  is  also  the  organ  of  touch.  This  office  is 
performed  through  the  instrumentality  of  the  nerves  of 
feeling,  which  are  spread  over  all  parts  of  the  skin. 

This  general  outline  of  the  construction  of  the  hu- 
man frame  is  given,  with  reference  to  the  practical 
application  of  this  knowledge  in  the  various  cases 
where  a  woman  will  be  called  upon  to  exercise  her 
own  unaided  judgement.  The  application  will  be 
further  pointed  out,  in  the  chapters  on  Food,  Dress, 
Cleanliness,  Care  of  the  Sick,  and  Care  of  Infants. 


94  ON    HEALTHFUL    FOOD. 

CHAPTER  VI. 

ON    HEALTHFUL    FOOD. 

THE  person  who  decides  what  shall  be  ihe  food  and 
drink  of  a  family,  and  the  modes  of  preparation,  is  the 
one  who  decides,  to  a  greater  or  less  extent,  what  shall 
be  the  health  of  that  family.  It  is  the  opinion  of  most^ 
medical  men,  that  intemperance  in  eating  is  the  most 
fruitful  of  all  causes  of  disease  and  death.  If  this  be 
so,  the  woman  who  wisely  adapts  the  food  and  cooking 
of  her  family  to  the  laws  of  health,  removes  the  great- 
est risk  which  threatens  the  lives  of  those  under  her 
care. 

To  exhibit  this  subject  clearly,  it  will  be  needful  to 
refer,  more  minutely,  to  the  organization  and  operation 
of  the  digestive  organs. 

It  is  found,  by  experiment,  that  the  supply  of  gastric 
juice,  furnished  from  the  blood,  by  the  arteries  of  the 
stomach,  is  proportioned,  not  to  the  amount  of  food 
put  into  the  stomach,  but  to  the  wants  of  the  body ;  so 
that  it  is  possible  to  put  much  more  into  the  stomach 
than  can  be  digested.  To  guide  and  regulate  in  this 
matter,  the  sensation  called  hunger  is  provided.  In  a 
healthy  state  of  the  body,  as  soon  as  the  blood  has  lost 
its  nutritive  supplies,  the  craving  of  hunger  is  felt,  and 
then,  if  the  food  is  suitable,  and  is  taken  in  the  proper 
manner,  this  sensation  ceases,  as  soon  as  the  stomach 
has  received  enough  to  supply  the  wants  of  the  system. 
But  our  benevolent  Creator,  in  this,  as  in  our  other 
duties,  has  connected  enjoyment  with  the  operation 
needful  to  sustain  our  bodies.  In  addition  to  the  allay 
ing  of  hunger,  the  gratification  of  the  palate  is  secured, 
by  the  immense  variety  of  food,  some  articles  of  which 
are  far  more  agreeable  than  others. 

This  arrangement  of  Providence,  designed  for  our 
happiness,  has  become,  either  through  ignorance,  or 


ON    HEALTHFUL,    FOOD.  95 

want  of  self-control,  the  chief  cause  of  the  various 
diseases  and  sufferings,  which  afflict  those  classes  who 
have  the  means  of  seeking  a  variety  to  gratify  the 
palate.  If  mankind  had  only  one  article  of  food,  and 
only  water  to  drink,  though  they  would  have  less  en- 
joyment in  eating,  they  would  never  be  tempted  to  put 
any  more  into  the  stomach,  than  the  calls  of  hunger 
required.  But  the  customs  of  society,  which  present 
an  incessant  change,  and  a  great  variety  of  food,  with 
those  various  condiments  which  stimulate  appetite,  lead 
almost  every  person  very  frequently  to  eat  merely  to 
gratify  the  palate,  after  the  stomach  has  been  abun- 
dantly supplied,  so  that  hunger  has  ceased. 

When  too  great  a  supply  of  food  is  put  into  the 
stomach,  the  gastric  juice  dissolves  only  that  portion 
which  the  wants  of  the  system  demand.  The  remain- 
der is  ejected,  in  an  unprepared  state  ;  the  absorb 
ents  take  portions  of  it  into  the  system;  and  all  the 
various  functions  of  the  body,  which  depend  on  the 
ministries  of  the  blood,  are  thus  gradually  and  imper 
ceptibly  injured.  Very  often,  intemperance  in  eating 
produces  immediate  results,  such  as  colic,  headaches, 
pains  of  indigestion,  and  vertigo.  But  the  more  gen- 
eral result,  is,  a  gradual  undermining  of  all  parts  of  the 
human  frame ;  thus  imperceptibly  shortening  life,  by 
so  weakening  the  constitution,  that  it  is  ready  to  yield, 
at  every  point,  to  any  uncommon  risk  or  exposure. 
Thousands  and  thousands  are  passing  out  of  the  world, 
from  diseases  occasioned  by  exposures,  which  a  healthy 
constitution  could  meet  without  any  danger.  It  is 
owing  to  these  considerations,  that  it  becomes  the  duty 
of  every  woman,  who  has  the  responsibility  of  pro- 
viding food  for  a  family,  to  avoid  a  variety  of  tempting 
dishes.  It  is  a  much  safer  rule,  to  have  only  one  kind 
of  healthy  food,  for  each  meal,  thari  the  abundant 
variety  which  is  usually  met  at  the  tables  of  almost  all 
classes  in  this  Country.  When  there  is  to  be  any  va- 
riety of  dishes,  they  ought  not  to  be  successive,  but  so 
arranged,  as  to  give  the  opportunity  of  selection.  How 


96  ON    HEALTHFUL    FOOD. 

often  is  it  the  case,  that  persons,  by  the  appearance  of 
a  favorite  article,  are  tempted  to  eat,  merely  to  gratify 
the  palate,  when  the  stomach  is  already  adequately 
supplied.  All  such  intemperance  wears  on  the  con- 
stitution, and  shortens  life.  It  riot  unfrequently  hap- 
pens, that  excess  in  eating  produces  a  morbid  appetite, 
which  must  constantly  be  denied. 

But  the  organization  of  the  digestive  organs  de- 
mands, not  only  that  food  be  taken  in  proper  quan- 
tities, but  that  it  be  taken  at  proper  times. 

It  has  before  been  shown,  that,  as  soon  as  the  food 
enters  the  stomach,  the  muscles  are  excited  by  the 
nerves,  and  the  peristaltic  motion  commences.  This 
is  a  powerful  and  constant  exercise  of  the  muscles  of 
the  stomach,  which  continues  until  the  process  of  di- 
gestion is  complete.  During  this  time,  the  blood  is 
withdrawn  from  other  parts  of  the  system,  to  supply 
the  demands  of  the  stomach,  which  is  laboring  hard 
with  all  its  muscles.  When  this  motion  ceases,  and 
the  digested  food  has  gradually  passed  out  of  the 
stomach,  Nature  requires  that  it  should  have  a  period 
of  repose.  And  if  another  meal  be  eaten,  immediate- 
ly after  one  is  digested,  the  stomach  is  set  to  work 
again,  before  it  has  had  time  to  rest,  and  before  a 
sufficient  supply  of  gastric  juice  is  provided. 

The  general  rule,  then,  is,  that  three  hours  be  given 
to  the  stomach  for  labor,  and  two  for  rest;  and  in 
obedience  to  this,  five  hours,  at  least,  ought  to  elapse 
between  every  two  regular  meals.  In  cases  where 
exercise  produces  a  flow  of  perspiration,  more  food  is 
needed  to  supply  the  loss;  and  strong  laboring  men 
may  safely  eat  as  often  as  they  feel  the  want  of  food 
So,  young  and  healthy  children,  who  gambol  and  exer- 
cise much,  and  whose  bodies  grow  fast,  may  have  a 
more  frequent  supply  of  food.  But,  as  a  general  rule, 
meals  should  be  five  hours  apart,  and  eating  between 
meals  avoided.  There  is  nothing  more  unsafe,  and 
wearing  to  the  constitution,  than  a  habit  of  eating  at 
any  time,  merely  to  gratify  the  palate.  When  a  tempt- 


ON    HEALTHFUL    FOO1>.  97 

tng  article  is  presented,  every  person  should  exercise 
sufficient  self-denial,  to  wait  till  the  proper  time  for 
eating  arrives.  Children,  as  well  as  grown  persons, 
are  often  injured,  by  eating  between  their  regular 
meals,  thus  weakening  the  stomach,  by  not  affording 
it  any  time  for  rest. 

In  deciding  as  to  quantity  of  food,  there  is  one 
great  difficulty  to  be  met  by  a  large  portion  of  the 
community.  It  has  been  shown,  that  the  exercise  of 
every  part  of  the  body  is  indispensable  to  its  health 
and  perfection.  The  bones,  the  muscles,  the  nerves, 
the  organs  of  digestion  and  respiration,  and  the  skin, 
all  demand  exercise,  in  order  properly  to  perform  their 
functions.  When  the  muscles  of  the  body  are  called 
into  action,  all  the  blood-vessels  entwined  among  them 
are  frequently  compressed.  As  the  arteries  are  <*o  con- 
trived, that  the  blood  cannot  run  back,  this  compression 
hastens  it  forward,  through  the  veins,  towards  that 
organ.  The  heart  is  immediately  put  in  quicker  mo- 
tion, to  send  it  into  the  lungs ;  and  they,  also,  are  thus 
stimulated  to  more  rapid  action,  which  is  the  cause  of 
that  panting  which  active  exercise  always  occasions. 
The  blood  thus  courses  with  greater  celerity  through 
the  body,  and  sooner  loses  its  nourishing  properties. 
Then  the  stomach  issues  its  mandate  of  hunger,  and  a 
new  supply  of  food  must  be  furnished.  Thus  it  ap- 
pears, as  a  general  rule,  that  the  quantity  of  food, 
actually  needed  by  the  body>  depends  on  the  amount 
of  muscular  exercise  taken.  A  laboring  man,  in  the 
open  fields,  probably  throws  off  from  his  skin  ten  times 
the  amount  of  perspirable  matter,  which  is  evolved 
from  the  skin  of  a  person  of  sedentary  pursuits.  In 
consequence  of  this,  he  demands  a  far  greater  amount 
of  food  and  drink. 

Those  persons,  who  keep  their  bodies  in  a  state  of 
health,  by  sufficient  exercise,  can  always  be  guided 
by  the  calls  of  hunger.  They  can  eat  when  they 
feel  hungry,  and  stop  when  hunger  ceases ;  and  then 
they  will  calculate  exactly  right.  But  the  difficulty  is, 
9  D.  E.  " 


98  ON    HEALTHFUL    FOOD. 

that  a  large  part  of  the  community,  especially  women, 
are  so  inactive  in  their  habits,  that  thef  seldom  feel  the 
calls  of  hunger.  They  habitually  eat,  merely  to  gratify 
the  palate.  This  produces  such  a  state  of  the  system, 
that  they  have  lost  the  guide  which  Nature  has  pro- 
vided. They  are  not  called  to  eat,  by  hunger,  nor 
tdmonished,  by  its  cessation,  when  to  stop.  In  con- 
sequence of  this,  such  persons  eat  what  pleases  the 
palate,  till  they  feel  no  more  inclination  for  the  article. 
It  is  probable,  that  three  fourths  of  the  women,  in  the 
wealthier  circles,  sit  down  to  each  meal  without  any 
feeling  of  hunger,  and  eat  merely  on  account  of  the 
gratification  thus  afforded  them.  Such  persons  find 
their  appetite  to  depend  almost  solely  upon  the  kind 
of  food  on  the  table.  This  is  not  the  case  with  those, 
who  take  the  exercise  which  Nature  demands.  They 
approach  their  meals  in  such  a  state  that  almost  any 
kind  of  food  is  acceptable. 

The  question  then  arises,  how  are  persons,  who 
have  lost  the  guide  which  Nature  has  provided,  to 
determine  as  to  the  proper  amount  of  food  they  shall 
take? 

The  only  rules  they  can  adopt,  are  of  a  general 
nature;  founded  on  the  principles  already  developed. 
They  should  endeavor  to  proportion  their  food  to  the 
amount  of  the  exercise  they  ordinarily  take.  If  they 
take  but  little  exercise,  they  should  eat  but  little  food 
in  comparison  with  those  who  are  much  in  the  open 
air  and  take  much  exercise ;  and  their  food  should  be 
chiefly  vegetable,  and  not  animal.  But  how  often  is  it 
seen,  that  a  student,  or  a  man  who  sits  all  day  in  an 
office,  or  a  lady  who  spends  the  day  in  her  parlor  and 
chamber,  will  sit  down  to  a  loaded  table,  and,  by  con- 
tinuing to  partake  of  the  tempting  varieties,  in  the  end 
load  the  stomach  with  a  supply,  which  a  stout  farmer 
3ould  scarcely  digest. 

But  the  health  of  a  family  depends,  not  merely  on 
the  quantity  of  food  taken ;  but  very  much,  also,  on 
fhe  quality.  Some  kinds  of  food  are  very  pernicious 


ON    HEALTHFUL    FOOD.  99 

in  their  nature,  and  some  healthful  articles  are  rendered 
very  injurious  by  the  mode  of  cooking.  Persons  who 
have  a  strong  constitution,  and  take  much  exercise, 
may  eat  almost  any  thing,  with  apparent  impunity ; 
but  young  children,  who  are  forming  their  constitu- 
tions, and  persons  who  are  delicate,  and  who  take  but 
little  exercise,  are  very  dependent  for  health,  on  a 
proper  selection  of  food. 

There  are  some  general  principles,  which  may  aid 
in  regulating  the  judgement  on  this  subject. 

It  is  found,  that  there  are  some  kinds  of  food  which 
afford  nutriment  to  the  blood,  and  do  not  produce  any 
other  effect  on  the  system.  There  are  other  kinds, 
which  are  not  only  nourishing,  but  stimulating,  so  that 
they  quicken  the  functions  of  the  organs  on  which 
they  operate.  The  condiments  used  in  cookery,  such 
as  pepper,  mustard,  and  spices,  are  of  this  nature. 
There  are  certain  states  of  the  system,  when  these 
stimulants  are  beneficial ;  but  it  is  only  in  cases  where 
there  is  some  debility.  Such  cases  can  only  be  pointed 
out  by  medical  men.  But  persons  in  perfect  health, 
and  especially  young  children,  never  receive  any  benefit 
from  such  kind  of  food ;  and  just  in  proportion  as  con- 
diments operate  to  quicken  the  labors  of  the  internal 
organs,  they  tend  to  wear  down  their  powers.  A  per- 
son who  thus  keeps  the  body  working  under  an  un- 
natural excitement,  lives  faster  than  Nature  designed, 
and  the  sooner  the  constitution  is  worn  out.  A  woman, 
therefore,  should  provide  dishes  for  her  family,  which 
are  free  from  these  stimulating  condiments,  and  as 
much  as  possible  prevent  their  use.  It  is  also  found, 
by  experience,  that  animal  food  is  more  stimulating 
than  vegetable.  This  is  the  reason  why,  in  cases  of 
fevers,  or  inflammations,  medical  men  forbid  the  use 
of  meat  and  butter.  Animal  food  supplies  chyle  much 
more  abundantly  than  vegetable  food  does;  and  this 
chyle  is  more  stimulating  in  its  nature.  Of  course, 
a  person  who  lives  chiefly  on  animal  food,  is  under 
a  higher  degree  of  stimulus  than  if  his  fopd  was  chiefly 


100  ON    HEALTHFUL    FOOD. 

composed  of  vegetable  substances.  His  blood  will 
flow  faster,  and  all  the  functions  of  his  bod}  will  be 
quickened. 

This  makes  it  important  to  secure  a  proper  propor- 
tion of  animal  and  vegetable  diet.  Some  medical  men 
suppose,  that  an  exclusively  vegetable  diet  is  proved, 
by  the  experience  of  many  individuals,  to  be  fully 
sufficient  to  nourish  the  body  ;  and  bring,  as  evidence, 
the  fact,  that  some  of  the  strongest  and  most  robust 
men  in  the  world,  are  those,  who  are  trained,  from 
infancy,  exclusively  on  vegetable  food.  From  this,  they 
infer,  that  life  will  be  shortened,  just  in  proportion  as 
the  diet  is  changed  to  more  stimulating  articles ;  and 
that,  all  other  things  being  equal,  children  will  have 
a  better  chance  of  health  and  long  life,  if  they  are 
brought  up  solely  on  vegetable  food. 

But,  though  this  is  not  the  common  opinion  of  medi-  » 
cal  men,  they  all  agree,  that,  in  America,  far  too  large  a 
portion  of  the  diet  consists  of  animal  food.  As  a  nation, 
the  Americans  are  proverbial  for  the  gross  and  luxurious 
diet  with  which  they  load  their  tables ;  and  there  can 
be  no  doubt  that  the  general  health  of  the  Nation  would 
be  increased,  by  a  change  in  our  customs  in  this  respect. 
To  take  meat  but  once  a  day,  and  this  in  small  quanti- 
ties, compared  with  the  common  practice,  is  a  rule,  the 
observance  of  which  would  probably  greatly  reduce  the 
amount  of  fevers,  eruptions,  headaches,  bilious  attacks, 
and  the  many  other  ailments  which  are  produced  or 
aggravated  by  too  gross  a  diet. 

The  celebrated  Roman  physician,  Baglivi,  (who, 
from  practising  extensively  among  Roman  Catholics, 
had  ample  opportunities  to  observe,)  mentions,  that, 
in  Italy,  an  unusual  number  of  people  recover  their 
health  in  the  forty  days  of  Lent,  in  consequence  of  the 
lower  diet  which  is  required  as  a  religious  duty.  An 
American  physician  remarks,  "  For  every  reeling  drunk- 
ard that  disgraces  our  Country,  it  contains  one  hundred 
gluttons; — persons,  I  mean,  who  eat  to  excess,  and 
suffer  in  consequence."  Another  distinguished  physi- 


ON    HEALTHFUL    FOOD.  101 

cian  says,  "I  believe  that  every  stomach,  not  actually 
impaired  by  organic  disease,  will  perform  its  functions, 
if  it  receives  reasonable  attention ;  and  when  we  per- 
ceive the  manner  in  which  diet  is  generally  conducted, 
both  in  regard  to  quantity  and  variety  of  articles  of  food 
and  drink,  which  are  mixed  up  in  one  heterogeneous 
mass, — instead  of  being  astonished  at  the  prevalence  of 
indigestion,  our  wonder  must  rather  be,  that,  in  such  cir- 
cumstances, any  stomach  is  capable  of  digesting  at  all.'* 

In  regard  to  articles  which  are  the  most  easily  di- 
gested, only  general  rules  can  be  given.  Tender  meats 
are  digested  more  readily  than  those  which  are  tough, 
or  than  many  kinds  of  vegetable  food.  The  farinaceous 
articles,  such  as  rice,  flour,  corn,  potatoes,  and  the  like, 
are  the  most  nutritious,  and  most  easily  digested.  The 
popular  notion,  that  meat  is  more  nourishing  than  bread, 
is  a  great  mistake.  Good  bread  contains  one  third  more 
nourishment  than  butcher's  meat.  The  meat  is  mjore 
stimulating,  and  for  this  reason  is  more  readily  digested. 
A  perfectly  healthy  stomach  can  digest  almost  any 
healthful  food ;  but  when  the  digestive  powers  are  weak, 
every  stomach  has  its  peculiarities,  and  what  is  good  for 
one,  is  hurtful  to  another.  In  such  cases,  experiment, 
alone,  can  decide,  which  are  the  most  digestible  articles 
of  food.  A  person,  whose  food  troubles  him,  must  de- 
duct one  article  after  another,  till  he  learns,  by  expe- 
rience, which  is  the  best  for  digestion.  Much  evil  has 
been  done,  by  assuming  that  the  powers  of  one  stomach 
are  to  be  made  the  rule  in  regulating  every  other. 

The  most  unhealthful  kinds  of  food,  are  those,  which 
are  made  so  by  bad  cooking;  such  as  sour  and  heavy 
bread,  cakes,  pie-crust,  and  other  dishes  consisting  of 
fat,  mixed  and  cooked  with  flour ;  also  rancid  butter, 
and  high-seasoned  food.  The  fewer  mixtures  there  are 
in  cooking,  the  more  healthful  is  the  food  likely  to  be 

There  is  one  caution,  as  to  the  mode  of  eating,  which 
seems  peculiarly  needful  to  Americans.  It  is  indispen- 
sable to  good  digestion,  that  food  be  well  chewed  and 
taken  slowly.  It  needs  to  be  thoroughly  chewed,  in 
9*  •  D.  E. 


102  ON    HEALTHFUL    FOOD 

order  to  prepare  it  for  the  action  of  the  gastric  juice, 
which,  by  the  peristaltic  motion,  will  be  thus  brought 
into  universal  contact  with  the  minute  portions.  It  has 
been  found,  that  a  solid  lump  of  food  requires  much 
more  time  and  labor  of  the  stomach,  than  divided  sub- 
stances. It  has  also  been  found,  that,  as  each  bolus,  or 
mouthful,  enters  the  stomach,  the  latter  closes,  until 
the  portion  received  has  had  some  time  to  move  around 
and  combine  with  the  gastric  juice ;  and  that  the  orifice 
of  the  stomach  resists  the  entrance  of  any  more,  till  this 
is  accomplished.  But,  if  the  eater  persists  in  swallow- 
ing fast,  the  stomach  yields ;  the  food  is  then  poured  in 
more  rapidly  than  the  organ  can  perform  its  duty  of 
digestion ;  and  evil  results  are  sooner  or  later  developed. 
This  exhibits  the  folly  of  those  hasty  meals,  so  common 
to  travellers,  and  to  men  of  business,  and  shows  why 
children  should  be  taught  to  eat  slowly. 

After  taking  a  full  meal,  it  is  very  important  to  health, 
that  no  great  bodily  or  mental  exertion  be  made,  till 
the  labor  of  the  stomach  is  over.  Intense  mental  effort 
draws  the  blood  to  the  head,  and  muscular  exertions 
draw  it  to  the  muscles ;  and  in  consequence  of  this,  the 
stomach  loses  the  supply  which  it  requires  when  per- 
forming its  office.  When  the  blood  is  thus  withdrawn, 
the  adequate  supply  of  gastric  juice  is  not  afforded,  and 
indigestion  is  the  result.  The  heaviness  which  follows 
a  full  meal,  is  the  indication  which  Nature  gives  of  the 
need  of  quiet.  When  the  meal  is  moderate,  a  sufficient 
quantity  of  gastric  juice  is  exuded  in  an  hour,  or  an 
hour  and  a  half;  after  which,  labor  of  body  and  mind 
may  safely  be  resumed. 

When  undigested  food  remains  in  the  stomach,  and 
is  at  last  thrown  out  into  the  bowels,  it  proves  an  irri- 
tating substance,  producing  an  inflamed  state  in  the 
lining  of  the  stomach  and  other  organs.  The  same 
effect  is  produced  by  alcoholic  drinks. 

It  is  found,  that  the  stomach  has  the  power  of  grad- 
ually accommodating  its  digestive  powers  to  the  food 
it  habitually  receives.  Thus,  animals,  which  live  on 


ON    HEALTHFUL    FOO1  103 

vegetables,  can  gradually  become  accustomed  to  animal 
food;  and  the  reverse  is  equally  true.  Thus,  too,  the 
human  stomach  can  eventually  accomplish  the  digestion 
of  some  kinds  of  food,  which,  at  first,  were  indigestible. 

But  any  changes  of  this  sort  should  be  gradual ;  as 
those  which  are  sudden,  are  trying  to  the  powers  of  the 
stomach,  by  furnishing  matter  for  which  its  gastric  juice 
is  not  prepared. 

In  regard  to  the  nature  of  the  meals  prepared,  the 
breakfast  should  furnish  a  supply  of  liquids,  because  the 
body  has  been  exhausted  by  the  exhalations  of  the 
night,  and  demands  them  more  than  at  any  other 
period.  It  should  not  be  the  heartiest  meal,  because 
the  organs  of  digestion  are  weakened  by  long  fasting, 
and  the  exhalations.  Dinner  should  be  the  heartiest 
meal,  because  then  the  powers  of  digestion  are  strength- 
ened, by  the  supplies  of  the  morning  meal.  Light  and 
amusing  employments  should  occupy  mind  and  body 
for  an  hour  or  more  after  a  full  meal. 

But  little  drink  should  be  taken,  while  eating,  as  it 
dilutes  the  gastric  juice  which  is  apportioned  to  each 
quantity  of  food  as  it  enters  the  stomach.  It  is  better 
to  take  drink  after  the  meal  is  past. 

Extremes  of  heat  or  cold  are  injurious  to  the  process 
of  digestion.  Taking  hot  food  or  drink,  habitually, 
tends  to  debilitate  all  the  organs  thus  needlessly  excited. 
In  using  cold  substances,  it  is  found  that  a  certain  de- 
gree of  warmth  in  the  stomach  is  indispensable  to  their 
digestion;  so  that,  when  the  gastric  juice  is  cooled 
below  this  temperature,  it  ceases  to  act.  Indulging  in 
large  quantities  of  cold  drinks,  or  eating  ice-creams, 
after  a  meal,  tends  to  reduce  the  temperature  of  the 
stomach,  and  thus  to  stop  digestion.  This  shows  the 
folly  of  those  refreshments,  in  convivial  meetings,  where 
the  guests  are  tempted  to  load  the  stomach  with  a  va- 
riety, such  as  would  require  the  stomach  of  a  stout 
farmer  to  digest,  and  then  to  wind  up  with  ice-creams, 
thus  destroying  whatever  ability  might  otherwise  have 
existed,  to  digest  the  heavy  load.  The  fittest  tempera- 


104  ON    HEALTHFUL    FOOD. 

ture  for  drinks,  if  taken  when  the  food  is  in  the  digest* 
ing  process,  is  blood  heat.  Cool  drinks,  and  even  ice, 
can  be  safely  taken  at  other  times,  if  not  in  excessive 
quantity.  When  the  thirst  is  excessive,  or  the  body 
weakened  by  fatigue,  or  when  in  a  state  of  perspiration, 
cold  drinks  are  injurious.  When  the  body  is  perspiring 
freely,  taking  a  large  quantity  of  cold  drink  has  often 
produced  instant  death. 

Fluids  taken  into  the  stomach  are  not  subject  to 
the  slow  process  of  digestion,  but  are  immediately  ab- 
sorbed and  carried  into  the  blood.  This  is  the  reason 
why  drink,  more  speedily  than  food,  restores  ih*n  ex- 
haustion. The  minute  vessels  of  the  stomach  inhale 
or  absorb  its  fluids,  which  are  carried  into  the  blood, 
just  as  the  minute  extremities  of  the  arteries  open 
upon  the  inner  surface  of  the  stomach,  and  there 
exude  the  gastric  juice  from  the  blood. 

When  food  is  chiefly  liquid,  (soup,  for  example,) 
the  fluid  part  is  rapidly  absorbed.  The  solid  parts 
remain,  to  be  acted  on  by  the  gastric  juice.  In  the 
case  of  St.  Martin,*  in  fifty  minutes  after  taking  soup, 
the  fluids  were  absorbed,  and  the  remainder  was  even 
thicker  than  is  usual  after  eating  solid  food.  This  is 
the  reason  why  soups  are  deemed  bad  for  weak  stom- 
achs ;  as  this  residuum  is  more  difficult  of  digestion 
than  ordinary  food.  In  recovering  from  sickness,  beef- 
tea  and  broths  are  good,  because  the  system  then  de- 
mands fluids  to  supply  its  loss  of  blood. 

Highly-concentrated  food,  having  much  nourishment 
in  a  small  bulk,  is  not  favorable  to  digestion,  because 

*  The  individual  here  referred  to, — Alexis  St.  Martin, — was  a 
young  Canadian,  of  eighteen  years  of  age,  of  a  good  constitution 
and  robust  health,  who,  in  1822,  was  accidentally  wounded  by  the  dis- 
charge of  a  musket,  which  carried  away  a  part  of  the  ribs,  lacerated 
one  of  the  lobes  of  the  lungs,  and  perforated  the  stomach,  making  a 
large  aperture,  which  never  closed ;  and  which  enabled  Dr.  Beau- 
mont, (a  surgeon  of  the  American  army,  stationed  at  Michilimackinac, 
under  whose  care  the  patient  was  placed,)  to  witness  all  the  processes 
of  digestion  and  other  functions  of  the  body,  for  several  years.  The 
published  account  of  the  experiments  made  by  Dr.  B.,  is  highly  inter 
eel  ing  and  instructive. 


ON    HEALTHFUHL    FOOD.  105 

it  cannot  be  properly  acted  on  by  the  muscular  con 
tractions  of  the  stomach,  and  is  not  so  minutely  di 
vided,  as  to  enable  the  gastric  juice  to  act  properly. 
This  is  the  reason,  why  a  certain  bulk  of  food  is  need- 
ful to  good  digestion  ;  and  why  those  people,  who  live 
on  whale  oil,  and  other  highly-nourishing  food,  in  cold 
climates,  mix  vegetables  and  even  sawdust  with  it,  to 
make  it  more  acceptable  and  digestible.  So,  in  civil- 
ized lands,  bread,  potatoes,  and  vegetables,  are  mixed 
with  more  highly-concentrated  nourishment.  This  ex- 
plains why  coarse  bread,  of  unbolted  wheat,  so  often 
proves  beneficial.  Where,  from  inactive  habits,  or  oth- 
er causes,  the  bowels  become  constipated  and  sluggish, 
this  kind  of  food  proves  the  appropriate  remedy.  One 
fact  on  this  subject  is  worthy  of  notice.  Under  the 
administration  of  William  Pitt,  for  two  years  or  more, 
there  was  such  a  scarcity  of  wheat,  that,  to  make  it 
hold  out  longer,  Parliament  passed  a  law,  that  the 
army  should  have  all  their  bread  made  of  unbolted 
flour.  The  result  was,  that  the  health  of  the  soldiers 
improved  so  much,  as  to  be  a  subject  of  surprise  to 
themselves,  the  officers,  and  the  physicians.  These 
last  came  out  publicly,  and  declared,  that  the  soldiers 
never  before  were  so  robust  and  healthy ;  and  that 
disease  had  nearly  disappeared  from  the  army.  The 
civic  physicians  joined  and  pronounced  it  the  healthiest 
bread ;  and,  for  a  time,  schools,  families,  and  public 
institutions,  used  it  almost  exclusively.  Even  the  no- 
bility, convinced  by  these  facts,  adopted  it  for  their 
common  diet ;  and  the  fashion  continued  a  long  time 
after  the  scarcity  ceased,  until  more  luxurious  habits 
resumed  their  sway.  For  this  reason,  also,  soups, 
gellies,  and  arrow-root,  should  have  bread  or  crackers 
mixed  with  them.  We  thus  see  why  children  should 
not  have  cakes  and  candies  allowed  them  between 
meals.  These  are  highly-concentrated  nourishments, 
and  should  be  eaten  with  more  bulky  and  less  nourish- 
ing substances.  The  most  indigestible  of  all  kinds  of 
food,  are  fatty  and  oily  substances ;  especially  if  heat 


106  ON    HEALCHFUL    DRINKS. 

ed.  It  is  on  this  account,  that  pie-crust,  and  articles 
soiled  and  fried  in  fat  or  butter,  are  deemed  not  so 
healthful  as  other  food. 

The  following,  then,  may  be  put  down  as  the  causes 
of  a  debilitated  constitution,  from  the  misuse  of  food. 
Eating  too  much,  eating  too  often,  eating  too  fast,  eating 
food  and  condiments  that  are  too  stimulating,  eating 
food  that  is  too  warm  or  too  cold,  eating  food  that  is 
highly-concentrated,  without  a  proper  admixture  of  less 
nourishing  matter,  and  eating  food  that  is  difficult  of 
digestion. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

ON    HEALTHFUL    DRINKS. 

ALTHOUGH  intemperance  in  eating  is  probably  the 
most  prolific  cause  of  the  diseases  of  mankind,  intem- 
perance in  drink  has  produced  more  guilt,  misery,  and 
crime,  than  any  other  one  cause.  And  the  responsi- 
bilities of  a  woman,  in  this  particular,  are  very  great ; 
for  the  habits  and  liabilities  of  those  under  her  care, 
will  very  much  depend  on  her  opinions  and  practice. 

It  is  a  point  fully  established  by  experience,  that 
the  full  developement  of  the  human  body,  and  the 
vigorous  exercise  of  all  its  functions,  can  be  secured 
without  the  use  of  stimulating  drinks.  It  is,  therefore, 
perfectly  safe,  to  bring  up  children  never  to  use  them  ; 
no  hazard  being  incurred,  by  such  a  course. 

It  is  also  found,  by  experience,  that  there  are  two 
evils  incurred,  by  the  use  of  stimulating  drinks.  The 
first,  is,  their  positive  effect  on  the  human  system. 
Their  peculiarity  consists  in  so  exciting  the  nervous 
system,  that  all  the  functions  of  the  body  are  accel- 
erated, and  the  fluids  are  caused  to  move  quicker  than 
at  their  natural  speed.  This  increased  motion  of  the 
animal  fluids,  always  produces  an  agreeable  effect  on 
ne  mind.  The  intellect  is  invigorated,  the  imagina 


•Ju 


ON    HEALTHFUL    DRINKS.  107 

tion  is  excited,  the  spirits  are  enlivened ;  and  these 
effects  are  so  agreeable,  that  all  mankind,  after  having 
once  experienced  them,  feel  a  great  desire  for  their 
repetition. 

But  this  temporary  invigoration  of  the  system,  is 
always  followed  by  a  diminution  of  the  powers  of  the 
stimulated  organs;  so  that,  though  in  all  cases  this 
reaction  may  not  be  perceptible,  it  is  invariably  the 
result.  It  may  be  set  down  as  the  unchangeable  rule 
of  physiology,  that  stimulating  drinks  (except  in  cases 
of  disease)  deduct  from  the  powers  of  the  constitution 
in  exactly  the  proportion  in  which  they  operate  to  pro- 
duce temporary  invigoration. 

The  second  evil,  is,  the  temptation  which  always 
attends  the  use  of  stimulants.  Their  effect  on  the 
system  is  so  agreeable,  and  the  evils  resulting  are  so 
imperceptible  and  distant,  that  there  is  a  constant  ten- 
dency to  increase  such  excitement,  both  in  frequency 
and  power.  And  the  more  the  system  is  thus  reduced 
in  strength,  the  more  craving  is  the  desire  for  that 
which  imparts  a  temporary  invigoration.  This  process 
of  increasing  debility  and  increasing  craving  for  the 
stimulus  that  removes  it,  often  goes  to  such  an  extreme, 
that  the  passion  is  perfectly  uncontrollable,  and  mind 
and  body  perish  under  this  baleful  habit. 

In  this  Country,  there  are  five  forms  in  which  the 
use  of  such  stimulants  is  common ;  namely,  alcoholic 
drinks,  tea,  coffee,  opium  mixtures,  and  tobacco.  These 
are  all  alike,  in  the  main  peculiarity  of  imparting  that 
extra  stimulus  to  the  system,  which  tends  to  exhaust  its 
powers. 

Multitudes  in  this  Nation  are  in  the  habitual  use  of 
some  one  of  these  stimulants ;  and  each  person  defend/i 
the  indulgence  by  these  arguments : 

First,  that  the  desire  for  stimulants  is  a  natural  pro  • 
pensity,  implanted  in  man's  nature,  as  is  manifest  from 
the  universal  tendency  to  such  indulgences,  in  every 
nation.  From  this,  it  is  inferred,  that  it  is  an  innocent 
desire,  which  ought  to  be  gratified,  to  some  extent,  and 


108  ON    HEALTHFUL    DRINKS. 

that  the  aim  should  be,  to  keep  it  within  the  limits  of 
temperance,  instead  of  attempting  to  exterminate  a 
natural  propensity. 

This  is  an  argument,  which,  if  true,  makes  it  equally 
proper  to  use  opium,  brandy,  tea,  or  tobacco,  as  stimu- 
lating principles,  provided  they  are  used  temperately. 
But,  if  it  be  granted  that  perfect  health  and  strength 
can  be  gained  and  secured  without  these  stimulants, 
and  that  their  peculiar  effect  is  to  diminish  the  power 
of  the  system,  in  exactly  the  same  proportion  as  they 
stimulate  it,  then  there  is  no  such  thing  as  a  temperate 
use,  unless  they  are  so  diluted,  as  to  destroy  any  stimu- 
lating power ;  and  in  this  form,  they  are  seldom  desired. 

The  other  argument  for  their  use,  is,  that  they  are 
among  the  good  things  provided  by  the  Creator,  for  our 
gratification ;  that,  like  all  other  blessings,  they  are  ex- 
posed to  abuse  and  excess ;  and  that  we  should  rather 
seek  to  regulate  their  use,  than  to  banish  them  entirely. 

This  argument  is  based  on  the  assumption,  that  they 
are,  like  healthful  foods  and  drinks,  necessary  to  life  and 
health,  and  injurious  only  by  excess.  But  this  is  not 
true ;  for,  whenever  they  are  used  in  any  such  strength 
as  to  be  a  gratification,  they  operate,  to  a  greater  or  less 
extent,  as  stimulants ;  and,  to  just  such  extent,  they 
wear  out  the  powers  of  the  constitution ;  and  it  is  abun- 
dantly proved,  that  they  are  not,  like  food  and  drink, 
necessary  to  health.  Such  articles  are  designed  for  med- 
icine, and  not  for  common  use.  There  can  be  no  ar- 
gument framed  to  defend  the  use  of  one  of  them,  which 
will  not  equally  defend  all.  That  men  have  a  love  for 
being  stimulated,  after  they  have  once  felt  the  pleasura- 
ble excitement,  and  that  Providence  has  provided  the 
means  for  securing  it,  are  arguments  as  much  in  favor 
of  alcohol,  opium,  and  tobacco,  as  of  coffee  and  tea. 
All  that  can  be  said  in  favor  of  the  last-mentioned  fa- 
vorite beverages,  is,  that  the  danger  in  their  use  is  not 
so  great.  Let  any  one,  who  defends  one  kind  of  stimu- 
lating drink,  remember,  then,  that  he  uses  an  argument, 
which,  if  it  be  allowed  that  stimulants  are  not  needed, 


ON    HEALTHFUL,    DRINKS.  109 

and  are  injurious,  will  equally  defend  all  kinds;  and 
that  all  which  can  be  said  in  defence  of  tea  and  coffee, 
is,  that  they  may  be  used,  so  weak,  as  to  do  no  harm, 
and  that  they  actually  have  done  less  harm  than  some 
of  the  other  stimulating  narcotics. 

The  writer  is  of  opinion,  that  tea  and  coffee  are  a 
most  extensive  cause  of  much  of  the  nervous  debility 
and  suffering  endured  by  American  women ;  and  that 
relinquishing  such  drinks  would  save  an  immense  amount, 
of  such  suffering.  But  there  is  little  probability  that 
the  present  generation  will  make  so  decided  a  change 
in  their  habits,  as  to  give  up  these  beverages ;  and  the 
subject  is  presented  rather  in  reference  to  forming  the 
habits  of  children. 

It  is  a  fact,  that  tea  and  coffee  are,  at  first,  seldom  or 
never  agreeable  to  children.  It  is  the  mixture  of  milk, 
sugar,  and  water,  that  reconciles  them  to  a  taste,  which 
in  this  manner  gradually  becomes  agreeable.  Now, 
suppose  that  those  who  provide  for  a  family  conclude 
that  it  is  not  their  duty  to  give  up  entirely  the  use  of 
stimulating  drinks,  may  not  the  case  appear  different,  in 
regard  to  teaching  their  children  to  love  such  drinks  ? 
Let  the  matter  be  regarded  thus: — The  experiments 
of  physiologists  all  prove,  that  stimulants  are  not  need- 
ful to  health,  and  that,  as  the  general  rule,  they  tend  to 
debilitate  the  constitution.  Is  it  right,  then,  for  a  parent 
to  tempt  a  child  to  drink  what  is  not  needful,  when 
there  is  a  probability  that  it  will  prove,  to  some  extent, 
an  undermining  drain  on  the  constitution  ?  Some  con- 
stitutions can  bear  much  less  excitement  than  others ; 
and,  in  every  family  of  children,  there  is  usually  one,  or 
more,  of  delicate  organization,  and  consequently  pecu- 
liarly exposed  to  dangers  from  this  source.  It  is  this 
child  who  ordinarily  becomes  the  victim  to  stimulating 
drinks.  The  tea  and  coffee  which  the  parents  and  the 
healthier  children  can  use  without  immediate  injury, 
gradually  sap  the  energies  of  the  feebler  child,  who 
proves  either  an  early  victim,  or  a  living  martyr  to  all 
the  sufferings  that  debilitated  nerves  inflict.  Can  it  be 
10  D.  E. 


110  ON    HEALTHFUL    DRINKS. 

right,  to  lead  children,  where  all  allow  that  there  is  some 
danger,  and  where,  in  many  cases,  disease  and  death  are 
met,  when  another  path  is  known  to  be  perfectly  safe  ? 

Of  the  stimulating  drinks  in  common  use,  black  tea 
is  least  injurious,  because  its  flavor  is  so  strong,  in  com- 
parison with  its  narcotic  principle,  that  one  who  uses  it, 
is  much  less  liable  to  excess.  Children  can  be  trained 
to  love  milk  and  water  sweetened  with  sugar,  so  that  it 
will  always  be  a  pleasant  beverage ;  or,  if  there  are  ex- 
ceptions to  the  rule,  they  will  be  few.  Water  is  an 
unfailing  resort.  Every  one  loves  it,  and  it  is  perfect- 
ly healthful. 

The  impression,  common  in  this  Country,  that  warm 
drinks,  especially  in  Winter,  are  more  healthful  than 
cold,  is  not  warranted  by  any  experience,  nor  by  the 
laws  of  the  physical  system.  At  dinner,  cold  drinks 
are  universal,  and  no  one  deems  them  injurious.  It  is 
only  at  the  other  two  meals  that  they  are  supposed  to 
be  hurtful. 

There  is  no  doubt  that  warm  drinks  are  healthful, 
and  more  agreeable  than  cold,  at  certain  times  and  sea- 
sons ;  but  it  is  equally  true,  that  drinks  above  blood 
heat  are  not  healthful.  If  any  person  should  hold  a 
finger  in  hot  water,  for  a  considerable  time,  twice  every 
day,  it  would  be  found  that  the  finger  would  gradually 
grow  weaker.  The  frequent  application  of  the  stimu- 
lus of  heat,  like  all  other  stimulants,  eventually  causes 
debility  If,  therefore,  a  person  is  in  the  habit  of  drink- 
ing hot  drinks,  twice  a  day,  the  teeth,  throat,  and 
stomach  are  gradually  debilitated.  This,  most  proba- 
bly, is  one  of  the  causes  of  an  early  decay  of  the  teeth, 
which  is  observed  to  be  much  more  common  among 
American  ladies,  than  among  those  in  European  coun- 
tries. 

It  has  been  stated  to  the  writer,  by  an  intelligent 
traveller  who  had  visited  Mexico,  that  it  was  rare  to 
meet  an  individual  with  even  a  tolerable  set  of  teeth ; 
and  tliat  almost  every  grown  person,  he  met  in  the 
street,  had  merely  remnants  of  teeth.  On  inquiry  into 


ON    HEALTHFUL    DRINKS.  Ill 

llie  customs  of  the  Country,  it  was  found,  that  it  was 
the  universal  practice  to  take  their  usual  beverage  at 
almost  the  boiling  point ;  and  this,  doubtless,  was  the 
chief  cause  of  the  almost  entire  want  of  teeth  in  that 
Country.  In  the  United  States,  it  cannot  be  doubted 
that  much  evil  is  done,  in  this  way,  by  hot  drinks. 
Most  tea-drinkers  consider  tea  as  ruined,  if  it  stands 
until  it  reaches  the  healthful  temperature  for  drink. 

The  following  extract  from  Dr.  Andrew  Combe,  pre- 
sents the  opinion  of  most  intelligent  medical  men,  on 
this  subject.* 

"  Water  is  a  safe  drink  for  all  constitutions,  provided 
it  be  resorted  to  in  obedience  to  the  dictates  of  natural 
thirst,  only,  and  not  of  habit.  Unless  the  desire  for  it 
is  felt,  there  is  no  occasion  for  its  use  during  a- meal." 

"  The  primary  effect  of  all  distilled  and  fermented 
liquors,  is,  to  stimulate  the  nervous  system  and  quicken 
the  circulation.  In  infancy  and  childhood,  the  circula- 
tion is  rapid,  and  easily  excited ;  and  the  nervous  sys- 
tem is  strongly  acted  upon,  even  by  the  slightest  external 
impressions.  Hence  slight  causes  of  irritation  readily 
excite  febrile  and  convulsive  disorders.  In  youth,  the 
natural  tendency  of  the  constitution  is  still  to  excite- 
ment ;  and  consequently,  as  a  general  rule,  the  stimulus 
of  fermented  liquors  is  injurious." 

These  remarks  show,  that  parents,  who  find  that 
stimulating  drinks  are  not  injurious  to  themselves,  may 
mistake  in  inferring,  from  this,  that  they  will  not  be  in- 
jurious to  their  children. 

Dr.  Combe  continues  thus :  "In  mature  age,  when 
digestion  is  good  and  the  system  in  full  vigor,  if  the 
mode  of  life  be  not  too  exhausting,  the  nervous  func- 
tions and  general  circulation  are  in  their  best  condition, 
and  require  no  stimulus  for  their  support.  The  bodily 
energy  is  then  easily  sustained,  by  nutritious  food  and  a 
regular  regimen,  and  consequently  artificial  excitement 

*  The  writer  would  here  remark,  in  reference  to  extracts  made  from 
various  authors,  that,  for  the  sake  of  abridging,  she  has  often  left  out 
parts  of  a  paragraph,  but  never  so  as  to  modify  the  meaning  of  the 
author.  Some  ideas,  not  connected  with  the  subject  ?n  hand,  are 
omitted,  b»J*  i>»n«  are  altered. 


112  ON    CLOTHING. 

only  increases  the  wasting  of  the  natural  strength.  In 
old  age,  when  the  powers  of  life  begin  to  fail,  moderate 
stimulus  may  be  used  with  evident  advantage." 

It  may  be  asked,  in  this  connection,  why  the  stimu- 
lus of  animal  food  is  not  to  be  regarded  in  the  same 
Jght,  as  that  of  stimulating  drinks.  In  reply,  a  very 
essential  difference  may  be  pointed  out.  Animal  food 
furnishes  nutriment  to  the  organs  which  it  stimulates, 
but  stimulating  drinks  excite  the  organs  to  quickened 
action,  without  affording  any  nourishment. 

It  has  been  supposed,  by  some,  that  tea  and  coffee 
have,  at  least,  a  degree  of  nourishing  power.  But 
it  is  proved,  that  it  is  the  milk  and  sugar,  and  not  the 
main  portion  of  the  drink,  which  imparts  the  nourish- 
ment. Tea  has  not  one  particle  of  nourishing  proper- 
ties ;  and  what  little  exists  in  the  coffee-berry,  is  lost  by 
roasting  it  in  the  usual  mode.  All  that  these  articles 
do,  is  simply  to  stimulate,  without  nourishing. 

Recent  discoveries  in  the  healing  art  have  proved 
that  cold  water  has  a  most  powerful  and  yet  very  safe 
influence  in  restoring  health  in  many  diseases.  It  has 
been  proved  that  the  free  drinking  of  cold  water,  at 
any  time  except  when  the  stomach  is  loaded  with 
food,  is  very  promotive  of  health.  Habits  of  costive- 
ness  may  often  be  remedied  by  drinking  two  glasses 
of  cold  water  and  then  taking  a  walk,  following  this 
by  two  glasses  of  the  same  on  returning.  This  must  be 
done  before  breakfast;  To  this  may  be  added  a  loosen- 
ing diet  of  cooked  fruit,  a*id  bread  of  unbolted  wheat. 


CHAPTER   VIII. 


ON    CLOTHING. 


IT  appears,  by  calculations  made  from  bills  of  mor- 
tality, that  one  quarter  of  the  human  race  perishes 
in  infancy.  This  is  a  fact  not  in  accordance  with 
the  analogy  of  Nature.  No  such  mortality  prevail? 


ON    CLOTHING.  113 

among  the  young  of  animals ;  it  does  not  appear  to 
be  the  design  of  the  Creator;  and  it  must  be  owing 
to  causes  which  can  be  removed.  Medical  men  agree 
in  the  opinion,  that  a  great  portion  of  this  mortality,  is 
owing  to  mismanagement,  in  reference  to  fresh  air. 
food,  and  clothing. 

At  birth,  the  circulation  is  chiefly  in  the  vessels  of 
the  skin ;  for  the  liver  and  stomach,  being  feeble  in  ac- 
tion, demand  less  blood,  and  it  resorts  to  the  surface. 
If,  therefore,  an  infant  be  exposed  to  cold,  the  blood  is 
driven  inward,  by  the  contracting  of  the  blood-vessels 
in  the  skin ;  and,  the  internal  organs  being  thus  over- 
stimulated,  bowel  complaints,  croup,  convulsions,  or 
some  other  evil,  ensues.  This  shows  the  sad  mistake 
of  parents,  who  plunge  infants  in  cold  water  to  strength- 
en their  constitution ;  and  teaches,  that  infants  should 
be  washed  in  warm  water,  and  in  a  warm  room.  Some 
have  constitutions  strong  enough  to  bear  mismanagement 
in  these  respects  ;  but  many  fail  in  consequence  of  it. 

Hence  we  see  the  importance  of  dressing  infants 
warmly,  and  protecting  them  from  exposure  to  a  cold 
temperature.  It  is  for  this  purpose,  that  mothers,  now, 
very  generally,  cover  the  arms  and  necks  of  infants, 
especially  in  Winter.  Fathers  and  mothers,  if  they 
were  obliged  to  go  with  bare  arms  and  necks,  even  in 
moderate  weather,  would  often  shiver  with  cold ;  and 
yet  they  have  a  power  of  constitution  which  would  sub- 
ject them  to  far  less  hazard  and  discomfort,  than  a  deli- 
cate infant  must  experience  from  a  similar  exposure. 
This  mode  of  dressing  infants,  with  bare  necks  and 
arms,  has  arisen  from  the  common  impression,  that  they 
have  a  power  of  resisting  cold  superior  to  older  persons. 
This  is  a  mistake  ;  for  the  experiments  of  medical  men 
have  established  the  fact,  that  the  power  of  producing 
heat  is  least  in  the  period  of  infancy. 

Extensive  investigations  have  been  made  in  France, 

in  reference  to  this  point.     It  is  there  required,  in  some 

districts,  that  every  infant,  at  birth,  be  carried  to  the 

office  of  the  maire,  [mayor,}  to  be   registered.     It  is 

10*  D.  E. 


114  ON    CLOTHING. 

found,  in  these  districts,  that  the  deaths  of  newly-bom 
infants,  are  much  more  numerous  in  the  cold,  than  in 
the  warm,  months  ;  and  that  a  much  greater  proportion 
of  such  deaths  occurs  among  those  who  reside  at  a  dis- 
tance from  the  office  of  the  maire,  than  among  those  in 
its  vicinity.  This  proves,  that  exposure  to  cold  has 
much  to  do  with  the  continuance  of  infant  life. 

But  it  is  as  dangerous  to  go  to  the  other  extreme,  and 
keep  the  body  too  warm.  The  skin,  when  kept  at  too 
high  a  temperature,  is  relaxed  and  weakened  by  too 
profuse  perspiration,  and  becomes  more  sensitive,  and 
more  readily  affected  by  every  change  of  temperature. 
This  increases  the  liabilities  to  sudden  colds ;  and  it 
frequently  happens,  that  the  children,  who  are  most 
carefully  guarded  from  cold,  are  the  ones  most  liable  to 
take  sudden  and  dangerous  chills.  The  reason  is,  that, 
by  the  too  great  accumulation  of  clothing,  the  skin  is  too 
much  excited,  and  the  blood  is  withdrawn  from  the  in- 
ternal organs,  thus  weakening  them,  while  the  skin 
itself  is  debilitated  by  the  same  process. 

The  rule  of  safety,  is,  so  to  cover  the  body,  as  to 
keep  it  entirely  warm,  but  not  so  as  to  induce  perspira- 
tion in  any  part.  The  perspiration  induced  by  exercise 
is  healthful,  because  it  increases  the  appetite ;  but  the 
perspiration  produced  by  excess  of  clothing  is  debili- 
tating. This  shows  the  importance  of  adjusting  beds 
and  their  covering  to  the  season.  Featherbeds  are  un- 
healthful  in  warm  weather,  because  they  induce  perspi- 
ration ;  and  in  all  cases,  those,  who  have  the  care  of 
children,  should  proportion  their  covering  by  night  to 
the  season  of  the  year.  Infants  and  children  should 
never  be  so  clothed,  as  either  to  feel  chilly,  or  to  induce 
perspiration. 

The  greatest  trouble,  in  this  respect,  to  thote  who 
have  the  care  of  children,  is  owing  to  their  throwing  off 
their  covering  in  the  night.  The  best  guard,  against 
such  exposures,  is  a  nightgown,  of  the  warmest  and 
thickest  material,  made  like  pantaloons  at  the  lower  part, 
and  the  legs  long,  so  that  they  can  be  tied  over  the  feet. 


ON    CLOTHING.        -.   _  115 

This  makes  less  covering  needful,  and  saves  the  cnild 
from  excessive  cold  when  it  is  thrown  off. 

The  clothing  ought  always  to  be  proportioned  to  the 
constitution  and  habits.  A  person  of  strong  constitu- 
tion, who  takes  much  exercise,  needs  less  clothing  than 
one  of  delicate  and  sedentary  habits.  According  to 
this  rule,  women  need  much  thicker  and  warmer  cloth- 
ing, when  they  go  out,  than  men.  But  how  different 
are  our  customs,  from  what  sound  wisdom  dictates ! 
Women  go  out  with  thin  stockings,  thin  shoes,  and 
open  necks,  when  men  are  protected  by  thick  woollen 
hose  and  boots,  and  their  whole  body  encased  in  many 
folds  of  flannel  and  broadcloth. 

On  the  subject  of  wearing  woolens  next  the  skin,  the 
medical  profession  are  changing  their  opinions.  Here- 
tofore it  has  been  considered  important  for  young  chil- 
dren and  invalids  to  wear  flannel  next  the  skin,  but 
now  it  is  believed  that  the  constant  friction  of  the  flan- 
nel tends  to  debilitate  the  skin,  and  that  the  good  to  be 
secured  by  wearing  flannel,  without  this  evil,  is  gained 
by  having  it  over  an  under-garment  of  cotton.  Wear- 
ing flannel  next  the  skin,  through  the  night,  is  especial- 
ly injurious,  and  therefore  the  woolen  night-gowns  of 
young  children  and  invalids  should  never  be  worn  next 
the  skin.  It  has  often  been  found  that  persons  who  have 
suffered  from  rheumatism,  and  on  this  account  have 
worn  flannel  next  the  skin,  have  been  relieved  from 
this  disease  by  simply  leaving  off  the  flannel. 

The  best  protection  against  sudden  changes,  and 
against  the  malaria  of  disease  or  bad  climate,  is  to 
strengthen  the  skin  by  frequent  ablutions  of  the  whole 
body  in  cold  water.  All  persons,  by  a  gradual  process, 
can  accustom  themselves  to  this,  without  any  danger, 
and  with  immense  benefits.  Cold  bathing  should  al- 
ways be  followed  by  exercise,  continued  until  a  glow 
is  produced.  It  never  should  be  taken  till  three  hours 
after  eating.  Infants  should  gradually  be  accustomed 
to  cold  water  after  the  second  month,  and  all  young  chil- 
dren should  be  washed  all  over  in  cold  water  every  day 

But  the  practice,  by  which  females  probably  suffer 


116  ON    CLOTHING. 

most,  is,  the  use  of  tight  dresses.  Much  has  been  said 
against  the  use  of  corsets  by  ladies.  But  these  may  be 
worn  with  perfect  safety,  and  be  left  off,  and  still  injury, 
such  as  they  often  produce,  be  equally  felt.  It  is  the  con- 
striction of  dress,  that  is  to  be  feared,  and  not  any  par- 
ticular article  that  produces  it.  A  frock,  or  a  belt,  may 
be  so  tight,  as  to  be  even  worse  than  a  corset,  which 
would  more  equally  divide  the  compression. 

So  long  as  it  is  the  fashion  to  admire,  as  models  of 
elegance,  the  wasp-like  figures  which  are  presented  at 
the  rooms  of  mantuamakers  and  milliners,  there  will  be 
hundreds  of  foolish  women,  who  will  risk  their  lives 
and  health  to  secure  some  resemblance  to  these  de- 
formities of  the  human  frame.  But  it  is  believed,  that 
all  sensible  women,  when  they  fairly  understand  the 
evils  which  result  from  tight  dressing,  and  learn  the  real 
model  of  taste  and  beauty  for  a  perfect  female  form, 
will  never  risk  their  own  health,  or  the  health  of  their 
daughters,  in  efforts  to  secure  one  which  is  as  much  at 
variance  with  good  taste,  as  it  is  with  good  health. 

Such  female  figures  as  our  print-shops  present,  are 
made,  not  by  the  hand  of  the  Author  of  all  grace  and 
beauty,  but  by  the  murderous  contrivances  of  the  corset- 
shop  ;  and  the  more  a  woman  learns  the  true  rules  of 
grace  and  beauty  for  the  female  form,  the  more  hei 
taste  will  revolt  from  such  ridiculous  distortions.  The 
folly  of  the  Chinese  belle,  who  totters  on  two  useless 
deformities,  is  nothing,  compared  to  that  of  the  Ameri- 
can belle,  who  impedes  all  the  internal  organs  in  the 
discharge  of  their  functions,  that  she  may  have  a  slen 
der  waist. 

It  was  shown,  in  the  article  on  the  bones  and  mus 
cles,  that  exercise  was  indispensable  to  their  growth  and 
strength.  If  any  muscles  are  left  unemployed,  they 
diminish  in  size  and  strength.  The  girding  of  tight 
dresses  operates  thus  on  the  muscles  of  the  body.  If 
an  article,  like  corsets,  is  made  to  hold  up  the  body, 
then  those  muscles,  which  are  designed  for  this  purpose, 
are  released  from  duty,  and  grow  weak ;  so  that,  after 


ON    CLOTHING.  117 

this  nas  been  continued  for  some  time,  leaving  off  the 
unnatural  support  produces  a  feeling  of  weakness. 
Thus  a  person  will  complain  of  feeling  so  weak  and 
unsupported,  without  corsets,  as  to  be  uncomfortable. 
This  is  entirely  owing  to  the  disuse  of  those  muscles, 
which  corsets  throw  out  of  employ. 

Another  effect  of  tight  dress,  is,  to  stop  or  impede 
the  office  of  the  lungs.  Unless  the  chest  can  expand, 
fully,  and  with  perfect  ease,  a  portion  of  the  lungs  is 
not  filled  with  air,  and  thus  the  full  purification  of  the 
blood  is  prevented.  This  movement  of  the  lungs,  when 
they  are  fully  inflated,  increases  the  peristaltic  move- 
ment of  the  stomach  and  bowels,  and  promotes  diges- 
tion ;  any  constriction  of  the  waist  tends  to  impede  this 
important  operation,  and  indigestion,  with  all  its  attend- 
ant evils,  is  often  the  result. 

The  rule  of  safety,  in  regard  to  the  tightness  of  dress, 
is  this.  Every  person  should  be  dressed  so  loosely, 
that,  when  sitting  in  the  posture  used  in  sewing,  reading, 
or  study,  THE  LUNGS  can  be  as  fully  and  as  easily  in- 
flated, as  they  are  without  clothing.  Many  a  woman 
thinks  she  dresses  loosely,  because,  when  she  stands 
up,  her  clothing  does  not  confine  her  chest.  This  is 
not  a  fair  test.  It  is  in  the  position  most  used  when 
engaged  in  common  employments,  that  we  are  to  judge 
of  the  constriction  of  dress.  Let  every  woman,  then, 
bear  in  mind,  that,  just  so  long  as  her  dress  and  posi- 
tion oppose  any  resistance  to  the  motion  of  her  chest, 
in  just  such  proportion  her  blood  is  unpurified,  and  her 
vital  organs  are  debilitated. 

The  English  ladies  set  our  countrywomen  a  good 
example,  in  accommodating  their  dress  to  times  and 
seasons.  The  richest  and  noblest  among  them  wear 
warm  cotton  hose  and  thick  shoes,  when  they  walk  for 
exercise ;  and  would  deem  it  vulgar  to  appear,  as  many 
of  our  ladies  do,  with  thin  hose  and  shoes,  in  damp  01 
cold  weather.  Any  mode  of  dress,  not  suited  to  the 
employment,  the  age,  the  season,  or  the  means  of  the 
wearer,  is  in  bad  taste 


118  ON    CLEANLINESS. 

how.|    h  . 
CHAPTER    IX. 

ON  CLEANLINESS. 

THE  importance  of  cleanliness,  in  person  and  dress, 
can  never  be  fully  realized,  by  persons  who  are  ignorant 
of  the  construction  of  the  skin,  and  of  the  influence 
which  its  treatment  has  on  the  health  of  the  body. 
Persons  deficient  in  such  knowledge,  frequently  sneer 
at  what  they  deem  the  foolish  and  fidgety  particularity 
of  others,  whose  frequent  ablutions  and  changes  of 
clothing,  exceed  their  own  measure  of  importance. 

The  popular  maxim,  that  "  dirt  is  healthy,"  has  prob- 
ably arisen  from  the  fact,  that  playing  in  the  open  air  is 
very  beneficial  to  the  health  of  children,  who  thus  get 
dirt  on  their  persons  and  clothes.  But  it  is  the  fresh 
air  and  exercise,  and  not  the  dirt,  which  promotes  the 
health. 

In  a  previous  article,  it  was  shown,  that  the  lungs, 
bowels,  kidneys,  and  skin,  were  the  organs  employed 
in  throwing  off  those  waste  and  noxious  parts  of  the 
food  not  employed  in  nourishing  the  body.  Of  this, 
the  skin  has  the  largest  duty  to  perform ;  throwing  off, 
at  least,  twenty  ounces  every  twenty-four  hours,  by 
means  of  insensible  perspiration.  When  exercise  sets 
the  blood  in  quicker  motion,  it  ministers  its  supplies 
faster,  and  there  is  consequently  a  greater  residuum  to 
be  thrown  off  by  the  skin;  and  then  the  perspiration 
becomes  so  abundant  as  to  be  perceptible.  In  this 
state,  if  a  sudden  chill  take  place,  the  blood-vessels  of 
the  skin  contract,  the  blood  is  driven  from  the  surface, 
and  the  internal  organs  are  taxed  with  a  double  duty. 
If  the  constitution  be  a  strong  one,  these  organs  march 
on  and  perform  the  labor  exacted.  But  if  any  of  these 
organs  be  debilitated,  the  weakest  one  generally  gives 
way,  and  some  disease  ensues. 

One  of  the  most  frequent  illustrations  of  this  recipro- 


ON    CLEANLINESS.  119 

cated  action,  is  afforded  by  a  convivial  meeting  in  cold 
weather.  The  heat  of  the  room,  the  food,  and  the  ex- 
citement, quicken  the  circulation,  and  perspiration  is 
evolved.  When  the  company  passes  into  the  cold  air, 
a  sudden  revulsion  takes  place.  The  increased  circu- 
lation continues,  for  some  time  after ;  but  the  skin  being 
cooled,  the  blood  retreats,  and  the  internal  organs  are 
obliged  to  perform  the  duties  of  the  skin  as  well  as  their 
own.  Then,  in  case  the  lungs  are  the  weakest  organ, 
the  mucous  secretion  becomes  excessive ;  so  that  it 
would  fill  up  the  cells,  and  stop  the  breathing,  were  it 
not  for  the  spasmodic  effort  called  coughing,  by  which 
this  substance  is  thrown  out.  In  case  the  nerves  are 
the  weakest  part  of  the  system,  such  an  exposure  would 
result  in  pains  in  the  head  or  teeth,  or  in  some  other 
nervous  ailment.  If  the  muscles  be  the  weakest  part,, 
rheumatic  affections  will  ensue ;  and  if  the  bowels  or 
kidneys  be  weakest,  some  disorder  in  their  functions 
will  result. 

But  it  is  found,  that  the  closing  of  the  pores  of  the 
skin  with  other  substances,  tends  to  a  similar  result  on 
the  internal  organs.  In  this  situation,  the  skin  is  un- 
able perfectly  to  perform  its  functions,  and  either  the 
blood  remains  to  a  certain  extent  unpurified,  or  else 
the  internal  organs  have  an  unnatural  duty  to  perform. 
Either  of  these  results  tends  to  produce  disease,  and 
the  gradual  decay  of  the  vital  powers. 

Moreover,  it  has  been  shown,  that  the  skin  has  the 
power  of  absorbing  into  the  blood  particles  retained  on 
its  surface.  In  consequence  of  these  peculiarities,  the 
skin  of  the  whole  body  needs  to  be  washed,  every  day. 
This  process  removes  from  the  pores  the  matter  exhaled 
from  the  blood,  and  also  that  collected  from  the  atmos- 
phere and  other  bodies.  If  this  process  be  not  often 
performed,  the  pores  of  the  skin  fill  up  with  the  redun- 
dant matter  expelled,  and  being  pressed,  by  the  clothing, 
to  the  surface  of  the  body,  the  skin  is  both  interrupted 
in  its  exhaling  process,  and  its  absorbents  take  back  into 
the  system  portions  of  the  noxious  matter.  Thus  the 


120  ON    CLEANLINESS. 

olood  is  not  relieved  to  the  extent  designed,  while  it  re- 
ceives back  noxious  particles,  which  are  thus  carried  to 
the  lungs,  liver,  and  every  part  of  the  system. 

This  is  the  reason  why  the  articles  worn  next  to  the 
skin  should  often  be  changed ;  and  why  it  is  recom- 
mended that  persons  should  not  sleep  in  the  article 
they  wear  next  the  skin  through  the  day.  The  alternate 
change  and  airing  of  the  articles  worn  next  the  body  by 
day  or  night,  is  a  practice  very  favorable  to  the  health 
of  the  skin.  The  fresh  air  has  the  power  of  removing 
much  of  the  noxious  effluvia  received  from  the  body  by 
the  clothing.  It  is  with  reference  to  this,  that  on  leav- 
ing a  bed,  its  covering  should  be  thrown  open  and 
exposed  to  the  fresh  air. 

The  benefit  arising  from  a  proper  care  of  the  skin,  is 
the  reason  why  bathing  has  been  so  extensively  prac- 
tised by  civilized  nations.  The  Greeks  and  Romans 
considered  bathing  as  indispensable  to  daily  comfort, 
as  much  so,  as  their  meals ;  and  public  baths  were 
provided  for  all  classes..  In  European  countries,  this 
practice  is  very  prevalent,  but  there  is  no  civilized  na- 
tion which  pays  so  little  regard  to  the  rules  of  health, 
on  this  subject,  as  our  own.  To  wash  the  face,  feet, 
hands,  and  neck,  is  the  extent  of  the  ablutions  practised 
by  perhaps  the  majority  of  our  people. 

All  persons  in  health  can  use  the  cold  bath  with  great 
benefit  if  they  follow  it  with  brisk' exercise,  and  even 
invalids,  by  a  gradual  process,  can  accustom  them- 
selves to  this  use  of  cold  water  without  risk,  provided 
exercise  be  taken  immediately  after.  The  shower  bath 
is  not  good  for  the  young  nor  for  nervous  persons.  If 
it  is  useful,  it  can  be  known  by  an  invigorated  feeling, 
and  a  warm  glow  on  the  skin ;  but  if,  instead  of  this, 
there  be  a  feeling  of  debility,  and  the  hands  and  feet 
become  cold,  it  is  a  certain  sign  that  this  kind  of  bath- 
ing is  injurious.  The  best  way  to  commence  cold  bath- 
ing is  to  put  the  water  at  72°  Fahrenheit,  and  then  low- 
er it  one  degree  every  two  or  three  days,  till  it  is  at 
60°,  or  even  colder.  After  bathing,  the  body  should 


ON    CLEANLINESS.  121 

be  rubbed  with  a  brush  or  coarse  towel,  to  remove 
the  light  scales  of  scarfskin  which  adhere  to  it,  and 
also  to  promote  a  healthful  excitement. 

A  bath  should  never  be  taken  till  three  hours  after 
eating,  as  it  interrupts  the  process  of  digestion,  by  with- 
drawing the  blood  from  the  stomach  to  the  surface. 
The  cold  bath  never  should  be  taken  when  a  person 
feels  chilly.  Neither  should  it  be  taken  when  a  per- 
son is  suffering  great  exhaustion  from  fatigue.  The 
best  way  is  to  take  it  when  the  skin  is  warm  from  the 
bed  or  from  gentle  exercise.  The  common  opinion 
that  it  is  dangerous  to  take  a  cold  bath  when  in  a  per- 
spiration is  utterly  fallacious.  The  skin  is  never  so  abto 
to  resist  cold  as  when  in  a  glow  of  heat.  This  is  the 
reason  why  the  Swedes  and  Russians  can  rush,  reek- 
ing, out  of  their  steam  baths,  and  throw  themselves  into 
the  snow,  and  not  only  escape  injury,  but  feel  invigora- 
ted. It  is  for  a  similar  reason  that  we  suffer  less  in  going 
into  the  cold  from  a  warm  room,  with  our  body  entire- 
ly warm,  than  when  we  go  out  somewhat  chilled.  When 
the  skin  is  warm,  the  circulation  is  active  on  the  sur- 
face, and  the  cold  does  not  so  reduce  its  temperature 
but  that  increased  exercise  will  keep  up  its  warmth. 

When  families  have  no  bathing  establishment,  every 
member  should  wash  the  whole  person  with  cold  wa- 
ter immediately  on  rising,  and  then  take  a  brisk  walk 
before  breakfast.  It  is  especially  important  that  chil- 
dren have  the  perspiration  and  other  impurities,  which 
their  exercise  and  sports  have  occasioned,  removed  from 
their  skin  before  going  to  bed.  The  hours  of  sleep  are 
those  when  the  body  most  freely  exhales  the  waste  mat- 
ter of  the  system,  and  all  the  pores  should  be  properly 
freed  from  impediments  to  this  healthful  operation. 
For  this  purpose,  a  large  tin  wash-pan  should  be  kept 
for  children,  just  large  enough,  at  bottom,  for  them  to 
stand  in,  and  flaring  outward,  so  as  to  be  very  broad  at 
top.  A  child  can  then  be  placed  in  it,  standing,  and 
Washed  with  a  sponge,  without  wetting  the  floor.  Being 
small  at  bottom,  it  is  better  than  a  tub ;  it  is  not  only 
smaller,  but  lighter,  and  requires  less  water. 

11  D.  F.. 


122  ON    EARLY    RISING. 

These  remarks  indicate  the  wisdom  of  those  parents, 
who  habitually  wash  their  children,  all  over,  before  they 
go  to  bed.  The  chance  of  life  and  health,  to  such  chil- 
dren, is  greatly  increased  by  this  practice  ;  and  no  doubt 
much  of  the  suffering  of  childhood,  from  cutaneous 
eruptions,  weak  eyes,  earache,  colds,  and  fevers,  is  owing 
to  a  neglect  of  the  skin. 

The  care  of  the  teeth  should  be  made  habitual  to 
children,  not  merely  as  promoting  an  agreeable  appear- 
ance, but  as  a  needful  preservative.  The  saliva  contains 
tartar,  an  earthy  substance,  which  is  deposited  on  the 
teeth,  and  destroys  both  their  beauty  and  health.  This 
can  be  prevented,  by  the  use  of  the  brush,  night  and 
morning.  But,  if  this  be  neglected,  the  deposite  be- 
comes hard,  and  can  be  removed  only  by  the  dentist. 
If  suffered  to  remain,  it  tends  to  destroy  the  health  of 
the  gums ;  they  gradually  decay,  and  thus  the  roots  of 
the  teeth  become  bare,  and  they  often  drop  out. 

When  children  are  shedding  their  first  set  of  teeth, 
care  should  be  taken,  to  remove  them  as  soon  as  they 
become  loose  ;  otherwise  the  new  teeth  will  grow  awry. 
When  persons  have  defective  teeth,  they  can  often  be 
saved,  by  having  them  filled  by  a  dentist.  This  also 
will  frequently  prevent  the  toothache. 

Children  should  be  taught  to  take  proper  care  of  their 
nails.  Long  and  dirty  nails  have  a  disagreeable  appear- 
ance. When  children  wash,  in  the  morning,  they 
should  be  supplied  with  an  instrument  to  clean  the  nails, 
and  be  required  to  use  it. 


CHAPTER  X. 


ON    EARLY    RISING. 


THERE  is  no  practice,  which  has  been  more  exten 
sively  eulogized,  in  all  ages,  than  early  rising ;  and  this 
universal  impression,  is  an  indication  that  it  is  founded 


ON    EARLY    RISING. 

on  true  philosophy.  For,  it  is  rarely  the  case,  that  the 
common  sense  of  mankind  fastens  on  a  practice,  as 
really  beneficial,  especially  one  that  demands  self-denial, 
without  some  substantial  reason. 

This  practice,  which  may  justly  be  called  a  domestic 
virtue,  is  one,  which  has  a  peculiar  claim  to  be  styled 
American  and  democratic.  The  distinctive  mark  of 
aristocratic  nations,  is,  a  disregard  of  the  great  mass, 
and  a  disproportionate  regard  for  the  interests  of  certain 
privileged  orders.  All  the  customs  and  habits  of  such 
a  nation,  are,  to  a  greater  or  less  extent,  regulated  by 
this  principle.  Now  the  mass  of  any  nation  must 
always  consist  of  persons  who  labor  at  occupations 
which  demand  the  light  of  day.  But  in  aristocratic 
countries,  especially  in  England,  labor  is  regarded  as 
the  mark  of  the  lower  classes,  and  indolence  is  consid- 
ered as  one  mark  of  a  gentleman.  This  impression  has 
gradually  and  imperceptibly,  to  a  great  extent,  regu- 
lated their  customs,  so  that,  even  in  their  hours  of  meals 
and  repose,  the  higher  orders  aim  at  being  different  and 
distinct  from  those,  who,  by  laborious  pursuits,  are 
placed  below  them.  From  this  circumstance,  while  the 
lower  orders  labor  by  day,  and  sleep  at  night,  the  rich, 
the  noble,  and  the  honored,  sleep  by  day,  and  follow 
their  pursuits  and  pleasures  by  night.  It  will  be  found, 
that  the  aristocracy  of  London  breakfast  near  mid-day, 
dine  after  dark,  visit  and  go  to  Parliament  between  ten 
and  twelve  at  night,  and  retire  to  sleep  towards  morn- 
ing. In  consequence  of  this,  the  subordinate  classes, 
who  aim  at  gentility,  gradually  fall  into  the  same 
practice.  The  influence  of  this  custom  extends  across 
the  ocean,  and  here,  in  this  democratic  land,  we  find 
many,  who  measure  their  grade  of  gentility  by  the  late 
hour  at  which  they  arrive  at  a  party.  And  this  aristo- 
cratic tendency  is  growing  upon  us,  so  that,  throughout 
the  Nation,  the  hours  for  visiting  and  retiring  are  con- 
stantly becoming  later,  while  the  hours  for  rising  cor- 
lespond  in  lateness. 

The  question,  then,  is  one  which  appeals  to  American 


1W24  ON    EARLY    RISING 

women,  as  a  matter  of  patriotism ;  as  having  a  bearing 
on  those  great  principles  of  democracy,  which  we  con- 
ceive to  be  equally  the  principles  of  Christianity.  Shall 
we  form  our  customs  on  the  principle  that  labor  is  de- 
grading, and  indolence  genteel  ?  Shall  we  assume,  by 
our  practice,  that  the  interests  of  the  great  mass  are  to 
be  sacrificed  for  the  pleasures  and  honors  of  a  privileged 
few?  Shall  we  ape  the  customs  of  aristocratic  lands, 
in  those  very  practices  which  result  from  principles  and 
institutions  that  we  condemn?  Shall  we  not  rather 
take  the  place  to  which  we  are  entitled,  as  the  leaders, 
rather  than  the  followers,  in  the  customs  of  society, 
turn  back  the  tide  of  aristocratic  inroads,  and  carry 
through  the  whole,  not  only  of  civil  and  political,  but 
of  social  and  domestic,  life,  the  true  principles  of  demo- 
cratic freedom  and  equality?  The  following  consid- 
erations may  serve  to  strengthen  an  affirmative  decision. 

The  first,  relates  to  the  health  of  a  family.  It  is  a 
universal  law  of  physiology,  that  all  living  things  flourish 
best  in  the  light.  Vegetables,  in  a  dark  cellar,  grow 
pale  and  spindling,*  and  children,  brought  up  in  mines, 
are  wan  and  stinted.  This  universal  law,  indicates  the 
folly  of  turning  day  into  night,  thus  losing  the  genial 
influence,  which  the  light  of  day  produces  on  all  ani- 
mated creation. 

There  is  another  phenomenon  in  the  physiology  of 
Nature,  which  equally  condemns  this  practice.  It  has 
been  shown,  that  the  purification  of  the  blood,  in  the 
lungs,  is  secured,  by  the  oxygen  of  the  atmosphere  ab- 
sorbing its  carbon  and  hydrogen.  This  combination 
forms  carbonic  acid  and  water,  which  are  expired  from 
our  lungs  into  the  atmosphere.  Now  all  the  vegetable 
world  undergoes  a  similar  process.  In  the  light  of  day, 
all  the  leaves  of  vegetables  absorb  carbon  and  expire 
oxygen,  thus  supplying  the  air  with  its  vital  principle, 
*nd  withdrawing  the  'more  deleterious  element.  But, 
when  the  light  is  withdrawn,  this  process  is  reversed, 

*  Shooting  into  a  long,  small  stalk  or  root. 


ON    EARLY    RISING.  125 

and  all  vegetables  exhale  carbonic  acid,  and  inspire  the 
oxygen  of  the  air.  Thus  it  appears,  that  the  atmosphere 
of  day  is  much  more  healthful  than  that  of  the  night, 
especially  out  of  doors. 

Moreover,  when  the  body  is  fatigued,  it  is  much 
more  liable  to  deleterious  influences,  from  noxious  par 
tides  in  the  atmosphere,  which  may  be  absorbed  by 
the  skin  or  the  lungs.  In  consequence  of  this,  the  last 
hours  of  daily  labor  are  more  likely  to  be  those  of  risk, 
especially  to  delicate  constitutions.  This  is  a  proper 
reason  for  retiring  to  the  house  and  to  slumber,  at  an 
early  hour,  that  the  body  may  not  be  exposed  to  the 
most  risk,  when,  after  the  exertions  of  the  day,  it  is 
least  able  to  bear  it. 

The  observations  of  medical  men,  whose  inquiries 
have  been  directed  to  this  point,  have  decide^},  that 
from  six  to  eight  hours,  is  the  amount  of  sleep  demand- 
ed by  persons  i;i  health.  Some  constitutions  require  as 
much  as  eight,  and  others  no  more  than  six,  hours  of 
repose.  But  eight  hours  is  the  maximum  for  all  per- 
sons in  ordinary  health,  with  ordinary  occupations.  In 
cases  of  extra  physical  exertions,  or  the  debility  of 
disease,  or  a  decayed  constitution,  more  than  this  is 
required.  Let  eight  hours,  then,  be  regarded  as  the 
ordinary  period  required  for  sleep,  by  an  industrious 
people,  like  the  Americans.  According  to  this,  the 
practice  of  rising  between  four  and  five,  and  retiring 
between  nine  and  ten,  in  Summer,  would  secure  most 
of  the  sunlight,  and  expose  us  the  least  to  that  period 
of  the  atmosphere,  when  it  is  most  noxious.  In  Win 
ter,  the  night  air  is  less  deleterious,  because  the  frost 
binds  noxious  exhalations,  and  vegetation  ceases  its  in- 
spiring and  expiring  process  ;  and,  moreover,  as  the 
constitution  is  more  tried,  in  cold,  than  in  warm, 
weather,  and  as  in  cold  weather  the  body  exhales  less 
during  the  hours  of  sleep,  it  is  not  so  injurious  to  pro- 
tract our  slumbers  beyond  the  proper  period,  as  it  is  in 
the  warm  months.  But  in  Winter,  it  is  best  for  grown 
persons,  in  health,  to  rise  as  soon  as  they  can  see  to 

D.J2. 


126  ON    EARLY    RISING 

dress,  and  retire  so  as  not  to  allow  more  than  eight 
hours  for  sleep. 

It  thus  appears,  that  the  laws  of  our  political  con- 
dition, the  laws  of  the  natural  world,  and  the  constitu- 
tion of  our  bodies,  alike  demand  that  we  rise  with  the 
light  of  day  to  prosecute  our  employments,  and  that  we 
retire  within  doors,  when  this  light  is  withdrawn. 

In  regard  to  the  effects  of  protracting  the  time  spent 
in  repose,  many  extensive  and  satisfactory  investigations 
have  been  made.  It  has  been  shown,  that,  during 
sleep,  the  body  perspires  most  freely,  while  yet  neither 
food  nor  exercise  are  ministering  to  its  wants.  Of 
course,  if  we  continue  our  slumbers,  beyond  the  time 
required  to  restore  the  body  to  its  usual  vigor,  there  is 
an  unperceived  undermining  of  the  constitution,  by  this 
protracted  and  debilitating  exhalation.  This  process, 
in  a  course  of  years,  renders  the  body  delicate,  and  less 
able  to  withstand  disease;  and  in  the  result  shortens 
life.  Sir  John  Sinclair,  who  has  written  a  large  work 
on  the  Causes  of  Longevity,  states,  as  one  result  of  his 
extensive  investigations,  that  he  has  never  yet  heard  or 
read  of  a  single  case  of  great  longevity,  where  the  indi- 
vidual was  not  an  early  riser.  He  says,  that  he  has 
found  cases,  in  which  the  individual  has  violated  some 
one  of  all  the  other  laws  of  health,  and  yet  lived  to 
great  age ;  but  never  a  single  instance,  in  which  any 
constitution  has  withstood  that  undermining,  conse- 
quent on  protracting  the  hours  of  repose  beyond  the 
demands  of  the  system. 

Another  reason  for  early  rising,  is,  that  it  is  indispen- 
sable to  a  systematic  and  well-regulated  family.  At 
whatever  hour  the  parents  retire,  children  and  do- 
mestics, wearied  by  play  or  labor,  must  retire  early. 
Children  usually  awake  with  the  dawn  of  light,  and 
commence  their  play,  while  domestics  usually  prefer 
the  freshness  of  morning  for  their  labors.  If,  then,  the 
parents  rise  at  a  late  hour,  they  either  induce  a  habit 
of  protracting  sleep  in  their  children  and  domestics,  or 
else  the  family  is  up,  and  at  their  pursuits,  while  their 


ON    EARLY    RISING.  127 

supervisors  are  in  bed.  Any  woman,  who  asserts  that 
her  children  arid  domestics,  in  the  first  hours  of  day, 
when  their  spirits  are  freshest,  will  be  as  well  regu- 
lated without  her  presence,  as  with  it,  confesses  that, 
which  surely  is  little  for  her  credit.  It  is  believed,  that 
any  candid  woman,  whatever  may  be  her  excuse  for 
late  rising,  will  concede,  that,  if  she  could  rise  early,  it 
woald  be  for  the  advantage  of  her  family.  A  late 
breakfast  puts  back  the  work,  through  the  whole  day, 
for  every  member  of  a  family;  and,  if  the  parents  thus 
occasion  the  loss  of  an  hour  or  two,  to  each  individual, 
who,  but  for  their  delay  in  the  morning,  would  be  use- 
fully employed,  they,  alone,  are  responsible  for  all  this 
waste  of  time.  Is  it  said,  that  those,  who  wish  to  rise 
early,  can  go  to  their  employments  before  breakfast  ?  it 
may  be  replied,  that,  in  most  cases,  it  is  not  safe  to  use 
the  eyes  or  the  muscles  in  the  morning,  till  the  losses 
of  the  night  have  been  repaired  by  food.  In  addition 
to  this,  it  may  be  urged,  that;  where  the  parents  set  an 
example  of  the  violation  of  the  rules  of  health  and  in- 
dustry, their  influence  tends  in  the  wrong  direction ;  so 
that  whatever  waste  of  time  is  induced,  by  a  practice 
which  they  thus  uphold,  must  be  set  down  to  their 
account. 

But  the  practice  of  early  rising  has  a  relation  to  the 
general  interests  of  the  social  community,  as  well  as  to 
that  of  each  distinct  family.  All  that  great  portion  of 
the  community,  who  are  employed  in  business  and 
labor,  find  it  needful  to  rise  early ;  and  all  their  hours 
of  meals,  and  their  appointments  for  business  or  pleas- 
ure, must  be  accommodated  to  these  arrangements. 
Now,  if  a  small  portion  of  the  community  establish 
very  different  hours,  it  makes  a  kind  of  jostling,  in  all 
(Jie  concerns  and  interests  of  society.  The  various 
appointments  for  the  public,  such  as  meetings,  schools, 
and  business  hours,  must  be  accommodated  to  the  mass, 
and  not  to  individuals.  The  few,  then,  who  establish 
domestic  habits  at  variance  with  the  majority,  are  either 
constantly  interrupted  in  their  own  arrangements,  ot 


128  ON    DOMESTIC    EXERCISE. 

else  are  interfering  with  the  rights  and  interest?  A 
others.  This  is  exemplified  in  the  case  of  schools.  In 
families  where  late  rising  is  practised,  either  hu.  ry, 
irregularity,  and  neglect,  are  engendered  in  the  family, 
or  else  the  interests  of  the  school,  and  thus  of  the  com- 
munity, are  sacrificed.  In  this,  and  many  other  con- 
cerns, it  can  be  shown,  that  the  well-being  of  the  bulk 
of  the  people,  is,  to  a  greater  or  less  extent,  impaired 
by  this  aristocratic  practice.  Let  any  teacher  select 
the  unpunctual  scholars, — a  class  who  most  seriously 
interfere  with  the  interests  of  the  school ; — and  let  men 
of  business  select  those  who  cause  them  most  waste  of 
time  and  vexation,  by  unpunctuality ;  and  it  will  be 
found,  that  they  are  among  the  late  risers,  and  rarely 
among  those  who  rise  early.  Thus,  it  is  manifest,  that 
late  rising  not  only  injures  the  person  and  family  which 
practise  it,  but  interferes  with  the  rights  and  conve- 
nience of  the  community. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

ON    DOMESTIC    EXERCISE. 

IN  the  preceding  chapters,  we  have  noticed  the  va- 
rious causes,  which,  one  or  all,  operate  to  produce  that 
melancholy  delicacy  and  decay  of  the  female  constitu- 
tion, which  are  the  occasion  of  so  much  physical  and 
mental  suffering  throughout  this  Country. 

These,  in  a  more  condensed  form,  may  be  enumer- 
ated thus : 

A  want  of  exercise,  inducing  softness  in  the  bones, 
weakness  in  the  muscles,  inactivity  in  the  digestive 
organs,  and  general  debility  in  the  nervous  system :  A 
neglect  of  the  care  of  the  skin,  whereby  the  blood  has 
not  been  properly  purified,  and  the  internal  organs  have 
been  weakened :  A  violation  of  the  laws  of  health,  in 
regard  to  food,  by  eating  too  much,  too  fast,  and  too 


ON    DOMESTIC    EXERCISE.  129 

often ;  by  using  stimulating  food  and  drinks ;  by  using 
them  too  warm  or  too  cold ;  and  by  eating  that  which 
the  power  of  the  stomach  is  not  sufficient  to  digest :  A 
neglect  of  the  laws  of  health,  in  regard  to  clothing,  by 
dressing  too  tight,  and  by  wearing  too  little  covering, 
in  cold  and  damp  weather,  and  especially  by  not 
sufficiently  protecting  the  feet:  A  neglect  to  gain  a 
proper  supply  of  pure  air,  in  sleeping  apartments  and 
schoolrooms,  and  too  great  a  confinement  to  the  house : 
The  pursuit  of  exciting  amusements  at  unseasonable 
hours,  and  the  many  exposures  involved  at  such  times  • 
And  lastly,  sleeping  by  day,  instead  of  by  night,  and  pro- 
tracting the  hours  of  sleep,  beyond  the  period  of  repose 
demanded  for  rest ;  thus  exhausting,  instead  of  recruit- 
ing, the  energies  of  the  system. 

But  all  the  other  causes,  combined,  probably,  do  not 
produce  one  half  the  evils,  which  result  from  a  want  of 
proper  exercise.  A  person  who  keeps  all  the  functions 
of  the  system  in  full  play,  by  the  active  and  frequent 
use  of  every  muscle,  especially  if  it  be  in  the  open  air, 
gains  a  power  of  constitution,  which  can  resist  many 
evils  that  would  follow  from  the  other  neglects  and 
risks  detailed.  This  being  the  case,  there  can  be  no 
subject,  more  important  for  mothers  and  young  ladies 
to  understand,  than  the  influence  on  the  health,  both 
of  body  and  mind,  of  the  neglect  or  abuse  of  the  mus- 
cular system. 

It  has  been  shown,  in  the  previous  pages,  that  all  the 
muscles  have  nerves  and  blood-vessels,  running  in  larger 
trunks,  or  minute  branches,  to  every  portion  of  the 
body.  The  experiments  of  Sir  Charles  Bell  and  others, 
have  developed  the  curious  fact,  that  each  apparently 
single  nerve,  in  reality  consists  of  two  distinct  portions, 
running  together  in  the  same  covering.  One  portion,  is 
the  nerve  of  sensation  or  feeling,  the  other,  the  nerve 
of  motion.  The  nerves  of  sensation  are  those  which 
are  affected  by  the  emotions  and  volitions  of  the  mind  * 
and  the  nerves  of  motion  are  those  which  impart 
moving  power  to  the  muscles  Experiments  show 


130  ON   DOMESTIC    EXERCISE. 

that,  where  the  nerves  issue  from  the  spine,  the  nerve 
of  sensation  may  be  cut  ofl*  without  severing  the  nerve 
of  motion,  and  then  the  parts,  to  which  this  nerve  ex- 
tends, lose  the  power  of  feeling,  while  the  power  of 
motion  continues ;  and  so,  on  the  other  hand,  the  nerve 
of  motion  may  be  divided,  and,  the  nerve  of  sensation 
remaining  uninjured,  the  power  of  feeling  is  retained, 
and  the  power  of  motion  is  lost. 

In  certain  nervous  diseases,  sometimes  a  limb  loses 
its  power  of  feeling,  and  yet  retains  the  power  of  mo- 
tion ;  in  other  cases,  the  power  of  motion  is  lost,  and 
the  power  of  sensation  is  retained ;  and  in  other  cases, 
still,  when  a  limb  is  paralysed,  both  the  power  of  motion 
and  of  sensation  are  lost. 

Now,  the  nerves,  like  all  other  parts  of  the  body, 
gain  and  lose  strength,  according  as  they  are  exercised. 
If  they  have  too  much,  or  too  little,  exercise,  they  lose 
strength ;  if  they  are  exercised  to  a  proper  degree,  they 
gain  strength.  When  the  mind  is  continuously  excited, 
by  business,  study,  or  the  imagination,  the  nerves  of 
feeling  are  kept  in  constant  action,  while  the  nerves  of 
motion  are  unemployed.  If  this  is  continued,  for  a  long 
time,  the  nerves  of  sensation  lose  their  strength,  from 
over  action,  and  the  nerves  of  motion  lose  their  power, 
from  inactivity.  In  consequence,  there  is  a  morbid  ex- 
citability of  the  nervous,  and  a  debility  of  the  mus- 
cular, system,  which  make  all  exertion  irksome  and 
wearisome.  The  only  mode  of  preserving  the  health  of 
these  systems,  is,  to  keep  up  in  them  an  equilibrium  of 
action.  For  this  purpose,  occupations  must  be  sought, 
which  exercise  the  muscles,  and  interest  the  mind ;  and 
thus  the  equal  action  of  both  kinds  of  nerves  is  secured 
This  shows  why  exercise  is  so  much  more  healthful  and 
invigorating,  when  the  mind  is  interested,  than  when  it 
is  not.  As  an  illustration,  let  a  person  go  a  shopping, 
with  a  friend,  and  have  nothing  to  do,  but  look  on  ;  how 
soon  do  the  continuous  walking  and  standing  weary ! 
But  suppose  one,  thus  wearied,  hears  of  the  arrival  of  a 
very  dear  friend :  she  can  instantly  walk  off  a  mile  or 


ON    DOMESTIC    EXERCISE.  131 

two,  to  meet  her,  without  the  least  feeling  of  fatigue 
By  this  is  shown  the  importance  of  furnishing,  for  young 
persons,  exercise  in  which  they  will  take  an  interest. 
Long  and  formal  walks,  merely  for  exercise,  though 
they  do  some  good,  in  securing  fresh  air  and  some  ex- 
ercise of  the  muscles,  would  be  of  triple  benefit,  if 
changed  to  amusing  sports,  or  to  the  cultivation  of 
fruits  and  flowers,  in  which  it  is  impossible  to  engage, 
.vithout  acquiring  a  great  interest.  It  shows,  also,  why 
.t  is  far  better  to  trust  to  useful  domestic  exercise,  at 
home,  than  to  send  a  young  person  out  to  walk,  for  the 
mere  purpose  of  exercise.  Young  girls  can  seldom  be 
made  to  realize  the  value  of  health,  and  the  need  x>f 
exercise  to  secure  it,  so  as  to  feel  much  interest  in 
walking  abroad,  when  they  have  no  other  object.  But, 
if  they  are  brought  up  to  minister  to  the  comfort  and 
enjoyment  61  themselves  and  others,  by  performing 
domestic  duties,  they  will  constantly  be  interested  and 
cheered  in  their  exercise,  by  the  feeling  of  usefulness, 
and  the  consciousness  of  having  performed  their  duty. 

There  are  few  young  persons,  it  is  hoped,  who  are 
brought  up  with  such  miserable  habits  of  selfishness  and 
indolence,  that  they  cannot  be  made  to  feel  happier,  by 
the  consciousness  of  being  usefully  employed.  And 
those  who  have  never  been  accustomed  to  think  or  care 
for  any  one  but  themselves,  and  who  seem  to  feel  little 
pleasure  in  making  themselves  useful,  by  wise  and  proper 
influences,  can  often  be  gradually  awakened  to  the  new 
pleasure  of  benevolent  exertion  to  promote  the  comfort 
and  enjoyment  of  others.  And  the  more  this  sacred  and 
elevating  kind  of  enjoyment  is  tasted,  the  greater  is  the 
relish  induced.  Other  enjoyments,  often  cloy ;  but  the 
heavenly  pleasure,  secured  by  virtuous  industry  and  be-  - 
nevolence,  while  it  satisfies,  at  the  time,  awakens  fresli 
desires  for  so  ennobling  a  good. 

But,  besides  the  favorable  influence  on  the  nervous 
and  muscular  system,  thus  gained,  it  has  been  shown, 
hat  exercise  imparts  fresh  strength  and  vitality  to  all 
parts  of  the  body.  The  exertion  qf  the  muscles  quick- 


132  ON    DOMESTIC    EXERCISE. 

ens  the  flow  of  the  blood,  which  thus  ministers  its 
supplies  faster  to  every  part  of  the  body,  and,  of  course, 
loses  a  portion  of  its  nourishing  qualities.  When  this 
is  the  case,  the  stomach  issues  its  mandate  of  hunger, 
calling  for  new  supplies.  When  these  are  furnished, 
the  action  of  the  muscles  again  hastens  a  full  supply  to 
every  organ,  and  thus  the  nerves,  the  muscles,  the 
bones,  the  skin,  and  all  the  internal  organs,  are  invigor- 
ated, and  the  whole  body  developes  its  powers,  in  fair 
proportions,  fresh  strength  and  full  beauty.  All  the 
cosmetics  of  trade,  all  the  labors  of  mantuamakers,  mil- 
liners, makers  of  corsets,  shoemakers,  and  hairdressers, 
could  never  confer  so  clear  and  pure  a  skin,  so  fresh  a 
color,  so  finely  moulded  a  form,  and  such  cheerful 
health  and  spirits,  as  would  be  secured  by  training  a 
child  to  obey  the  laws  of  the  benevolent  Creator,  in  the 
appropriate  employment  of  body  and  mind  in  useful 
domestic  exercise.  And  the  present  habits  of  the 
wealthy,  and  even  of  those  without  wealth,  which  con- 
demn young  girls  so  exclusively  to  books  or  sedentary 
pursuits,  are  as  destructive  to  beauty  and  grace,  as  they 
are  to  health  and  happiness. 

Every  allowance  should  be  made  for  the  mistakes  of 
mothers  and  teachers,  to  whom  the  knowledge  which 
would  have  saved  them  from  the  evils  of  such  a  course 
has  never  been  furnished ;  but  as  information,  on  these 
matters,  is  every  year  becoming  more  abundant,  it  is 
to  be  hoped,  that  the  next  generation,  at  least,  may  be 
saved  from  the  evils  which  afflict  those  now  on  the  stage. 
What  a  change  would  be  made  in  the  happiness  of  this 
Country,  if  all  the  pale  and  delicate  young  girls  should 
become  blooming,  healthful,  and  active,  and  all  the  en- 
feebled and  care-worn  mothers  should  be  transformed 
into  such  fresh,  active,  healthful,  and  energetic  matrons, 
as  are  so  frequently  found  in  our  mother  land ! 

It  has  been  stated,  that  the  excessive  use  of  the 
muscles,  as  much  as  their  inactivity,  tends  to  weaken 
them.  Nothing  is  more  painful,  than  the  keeping  a 
muscle  constantly  on  the  stretch,  without  any  relaxa- 


ON    DOME StIC    EXERCISE.  133 

tion  or  change.  This  can  be  realized,  by  holding  out 
an  arm,  perpendicularly  to  the  body,  for  ten  or  fifteen 
minutes,  if  any  one  can  so  long  bear  the  pain.  Of 
course,  confinement  to  one  position,  for  a  great  length 
of  time,  tends  to  weaken  the  muscles  thus  strained. 

This  shows  the  evil  of  confining  young  children  to 
their  seats,  in  the  schoolroom,  so  much  and  so  long 
as  is  often  done.  Having  no  backs  to  their  seats,  as 
;s  generally  the  case,  the  muscles,  which  are  employed 
in  holding  up  the  body,  are  kept  in  a  state  of  constant 
tension,  till  they  grow  feeble  from  overworking.  Then, 
the  child  begins  to  grow  crooked,  and  the  parents,  to 
remedy  the  evil,  sometimes  put  on  bracers  or  corsets. 
These,  instead  of  doing  any  good,  serve  to  prevent 
the  use  of  those  muscles,  which,  if  properly  exercised, 
would  hold  the  body  straight ;  and  thus  they  grow  still 
weaker,  from  entire  inactivity.  If  a  parent  perceives 
that  a  child  is  growing  crooked,  the  proper  remedy 
is,  to  withdraw  it  from  all  pursuits  which  tax  one  par- 
ticular set  of  muscles,  and  turn  it  out  to  exercise  in 
sports,  or  in  gardening,  in  the  fresh  air,  when  all  the 
muscles  will  be  used,  and  the  whole  system  strength 
ened.  Or,  if  this  cannot  be  done,  sweeping,  dusting, 
running  of  errands,  and  many  household  employments, 
which  involve  lifting,  stooping,  bending,  and  walking, 
are  quite  as  good,  and,  on  some  accounts,  better,  pro- 
vided the  house  is  properly  supplied  with  fresh  air. 

Where  persons  have  formed  habits  of  inactivity, 
some  caution  is  necessary,  in  attempting  a  change ; 
this  must  be  made  gradually ;  and  the  muscles  must 
never  be  excessively  fatigued  at  any  time.  If  this 
change  be  not  thus  gradually  made,  the  weakness,  at 
first  caused  by  inactivity,  will  be  increased  by  excessive 
exertion.  A  distinguished  medical  gentleman  gives 
this  rule,  to  direct  us  in  regard  to  the  amount  of  fa- 
tigue, which  is  safe  and  useful.  A  person  is  never 
too  much  fatigued,  if  one  night  of  repose  gives  suffi- 
cient rest,  and  restores  the  usual  strength.  But,  if  the 
sleep  is  disturbed,  and  the  person  wakes  with  a  feeling 
12  D.  E. 


134  ON    DOMESTIC    EXERCISE. 

of  weariness  and  languor,  it  is  a  sure  indication  that 
the  exercise  has  been  excessive.  No  more  fatigue, 
then,  should  be  allowed,  than  one  night's  rest  will 
remedy. 

Some  persons  object  to  sweeping,  on  account  of  the 
dust  inhaled.  But  free  ventilation,  frequent  sweeping, 
and  the  use  of  damp  sand,  or  damp  Indian  meal,  or 
damp  tea  leaves,  for  carpets,  will  secure  a  more  clear 
atmosphere  than  is  often  found  in  the  streets  of  cities. 
And  the  mother,  who  will  hire  domestics,  to  take  away 
this  and  other  domestic  employments,  which  would 
secure  to  her  daughters,  health,  grace,  beauty,  and 
domestic  virtues,  and  the  young  ladies,  who  consent 
to  be  deprived  of  these  advantages,  will  probably  live 
to  mourn  over  the  languor,  discouragement,  pain,  and 
sorrow,  which  will  come  with  ill  health,  as  the  almost 
inevitable  result. 

The  following  are  extracts  from  'The  Young  La 
dies'  Friend,'  on  this  subject: — 

"  Whether  rich  or  poor,  young  or  old,  married  or 
single,  a  woman  is  always  liable  to  be  called  to  the 
performance  of  every  kind  of  domestic  duty,  as  well 
as  to  be  placed  at  the  head  of  a  family ;  and  nothing, 
short  of  a  practical  knowledge  of  the  details  of  house- 
keeping, can  ever  make  those  duties  easy,  or  render 
her  competent  to  direct  others  in  the  performance  of 
them. 

"All  moral  writers  on  female  character,  treat  of 
Domestic  Economy  as  an  indispensable  part  of  female 
education ;  and  this,  too,  in  the  old  countries  of  Eu- 
rope, where  an  abundant  population,  and  the  institu- 
tions of  society,  render  it  easy  to  secure  the  services 
of  faithful  domestics." 

"  All  female  characters  that  are  held  up  to  admira- 
tion, whether  in  fiction  or  biography,  will  be  found  to 
possess  these  domestic  accomplishments ;  and,  if  they 
are  considered  indispensable  in  the  Old  World,  how 
much  more  are  they  needed,  in  this  land  of  inde- 
pendence, where  riches  cannot  exempt  the  mistress  of 


ON    DOMESTIC    EXERCISE.  135 

a  family  from  the  difficulty  of  procuring  efficient  aid, 
and  where  perpetual  change  of  domestics,  renders  per 
petual  instruction  and  superintendence  necessary. 

"  Since,  then,  the  details  of  good  housekeeping  must 
be  included  in  a  good  female  education,  it  is  very  de- 
sirable that  they  should  be  acquired  when  young,  and 
so  practised  as  to  become  easy,  and  to  be  performed 
dexterously  and  expeditiously." 

"  The  elegant  and  accomplished  Lady  Mary  Wortley 
Montagu,  who  figured  in  the  fashionable,  as  well  as 
the  literary,  circles  of  her  time,  has  said,  that  'the 
most  minute  details  of  household  economy  become 
elegant  and  refined,  when  they  are  ennobled  by  senti- 
ment ; '  and  they  are  truly  ennobled,  when  we  do  them 
either  from  a  sense  of  duty,  or  consideration  for  a 
parent,  or  love  to  a  husband.  c  To  furnish  a  room,' 
continues  this  lady, '  is  no  longer  a  commonplace  affair, 
shared  with  upholsterers  and  cabinet-makers ;  it  is  dec 
orating  the  place  where  I  am  to  meet  a  friend  or  lover 
To  order  dinner  is  not  merely  arranging  a  meal  with 
my  cook ;  it  is  preparing  refreshment  for  him  whom 
I  love.  These  necessary  occupations,  viewed  in  this 
light,  by  a  person  capable  of  strong  attachment,  are 
so  many  pleasures,  and  afford  her  far  more  delight, 
than  the  games  and  shows  which  constitute  the  amuse- 
ments of  the  world.' 

"  Such  is  the  testimony  of  a  titled  lady  of  the  last 
century,  to  the  sentiment  that  may  be  made  to  mingle 
in  the  most  homely  occupations.  I  will  now  quote 
that  of  a  modern  female  writer  and  traveller,  who,  in 
her  pleasant  book,  called  '  Six  Weeks  on  the  Loire,' 
has  thus  described  the  housewifery  of  the  daughter  of 
a  French  nobleman,  residing  in  a  superb  chateau  on 
that  river.  The  travellers  had  just  arrived,  and  been 
introduced,  when  the  following  scene  took  place. 

" '  The  bill  of  fare  for  dinner  was  discussed  in  my 
presence,  and  settled,  sans  fa$on*  with  that  delight- 

*  Without  formality,  or  useless  ceremony. 


136  ON    DOMESTIC    MANNERS. 

ful  frankness  and  gayety,  which,  in  the  French  char- 
acter, gives  a  charm  to  the  most  trifling  occurrence. 
Mademoiselle  Louise  then  begged  me  to  excuse  her  for 
half  an  hour,  as  she  was  going  to  make  some  creams, 
and  some  pastilles.*  I  requested  that  I  might  accom- 
pany her,  and  also  render  myself  useful ;  we  accord- 
ingly went  together  to  the  dairy.  I  made  tarts  a  VAn- 
glaise,-\  whilst  she  made  confections  and  bonbons, f 
and  all  manner  of  pretty  things,  with  as  much  ease 
as  if  she  had  never  done  any  thing  else,  and  as  much 
grace  as  she  displayed  in  the  saloon.  I  could  not  help 
thinking,  as  I  looked  at  her,  with  her  servants  about 
her,  all  cheerful,  respectful,  and  anxious  to  attend  upon 
her,  how  much  better  it  would  be  for  the  young  ladies 
in  England,  if  they  would  occasionally  return  to  the 
habits  of  their  grandmammas,  and  mingle  the  animated 
and  endearing  occupations  of  domestic  life,  and  the 
modest  manners  and  social  amusements  of  home,  with 
the  perpetual  practising  on  harps  and  pianos,  and  the 
incessant  efforts  at  display,  and  search  after  gayety, 
which,  at  the  present  day,  render  them  any  thing  but 
what  an  amiable  man,  of  a  reflecting  mind  and  delicate 
sentiments,  would  desire  in  the  woman  he  might  wish 
to  select  as  the  companion  of  his  life.'  " 


CHAPTER   XII. 

ON    DOMESTIC    MANNERS. 

GOOD-MANNERS  are  the  expressions  of  benevolence  in 
personal  intercourse,  by  which  we  endeavor  to  promote 
the  comfort  and  enjoyment  of  others,  and  to  avoid  all 
that  gives  needless  uneasiness.     It  is  the  exterior  ex 
hibition  of  the  Divine  precept,  which  requires  us  to  dc 

*  Rolls  of  paste,  or  pastry,  or  sugarplums, 

t  According  to  the  English  fashion. 

I  Nice  things  or  dainties,  such  as  sweetmeat*. 


OJN    13OMESTIC    MANNERS.  13  / 

to  others,  as  we  would  that  they  should  do  to  us.  It 
is  saying,  by  our  deportment,  to  all  around,  that  we 
consider  their  feelings,  tastes,  and  convenience,  as  equal 
in  value  to  our  own. 

Good-manners  lead  us  to  avoid  all  practices  which 
offend  the  taste  of  others ;  all  violations  of  the  con- 
ventional rules  of  propriety;  all  rude  and v disrespect- 
ful language  and  deportment ;  and  all  remarks,  which 
would  tend  to  wound  the  feelings  of  another. 

There  is  a  serious  defect,  in  the  manners  of  the 
American  people,  especially  in  the  free  States,  which 
can  never  be  efficiently  remedied,  except  in  the  do- 
mestic circle,  and  during  early  life.  It  is  a  deficiency 
in  the  free  expression  of  kindly  feelings  and  sympa- 
thetic emotions,  and  a  want  of  courtesy  in  deportment. 
The  causes,  which  have  led  to  this  result,  may  easily 
be  traced. 

The  forefathers  of  this  Nation,  to  a  wide  extent, 
were  men  who  were  driven  from  their  native  land,  by 
laws  and  customs  which  they  believed  to  be  opposed 
both  to  civil  and  religious  freedom.  The  sufferings 
they  were  called  to  endure,  the  subduing  of  those 
gentler  feelings  which  bind  us  to  country,  kindred,  and 
home,  and  the  constant  subordination  of  the  passions 
to  stern  principle,  induced  characters  of  great  firmness 
and  self-control.  They  gave  up  the  comforts  and  re- 
finements of  a  civilized  country,  and  came,  as  pilgrims, 
to  a  hard  soil,  a  cold  clime,  and  a  heathen  shore. 
They  were  continually  forced  to  encounter  danger, 
privations,  sickness,  loneliness,  and  death ;  and  all 
these,  their  religion  taught  them  to  meet  with  calm- 
ness, fortitude,  and  submission.  And  thus  it  became 
the  custom  and  habit  of  the  whole  mass,  to  repress, 
rather  than  to  encourage,  the  expression  of  feeling. 

Persons  who  are  called  to  constant  and  protracted 
suffering  and  privation,  are  forced  to  subdue  and  con- 
ceal emotion ;  for  the  free  expression  of  it  would 
double  their  own  suffering,  and  increase>  the  sufferings 
of  others.  Those,  only,  who  are  free  'from  care  and 
12*  D.  E. 


ON    DOMESTIC    MANNERS. 

anxiety,  and  whose  minds  are  mainly  occupied  by 
cheerful  emotions,  are  at  full  liberty  to  unveil  their 
feelings. 

It  was  under  such  stern  and  rigorous  discipline,  that 
the  first  children  in  New  England  were  reared ;  and 
the  manners  and  habits  of  parents  are  usually,  to  a 
great  extent,  transmitted  to  children.  Thus  it  comes 
to  pass,  that  the  descendants  of  the  Puritans,  now 
scattered  over  every  part  of  the  Nation,  are  predis- 
posed to  conceal  the  gentler  emotions,  while  their  man- 
ners are  calm,  decided,  and  cold,  rather  than  free  and 
impulsive.  Of  course,  there  are  very  many  exceptions 
to  these  predominating  results. 

The  causes,  to  which  we  may  attribute  a  general 
want  of  courtesy  in  manners,  are  certain  incidental 
results  of  our  democratic  institutions.  Our  ancestors, 
and  their  descendants,  have  constantly  been  combating 
the  aristocratic  principle,  which  would  exalt  one  class 
of  men  at  the  expense  of  another.  They  have  had 
to  contend  with  this  principle,  not  only  in  civil,  but 
in  social,  life.  Almost  every  American,  in  his  own 
person,  as  well  as  in  behalf  of  his  class,  has  had  to 
assume  and  defend  the  main  principle  of  democracy, — 
that  every  man's  feelings  and  interests  are  equal  in 
value  to  those  of  every  other  man.  But,  in  doing  this, 
there  has  been  some  want  of  clear  discrimination. 
Because  claims,  based  on  distinctions  of  mere  birth, 
fortune,  or  position,  were  found  to  .be  injurious,  many 
have  gone  to  the  extreme  of  inferring  that  all  dis- 
tinctions, involving  subordination,  are  useless.  Such, 
would  regard  children  as  equals  to  parents,  pupils 
to  teachers,  domestics  to  their  employers,  and  subjects 
to  magistrates  ;  and  that,  too,  in  all  respects. 

The  fact,  that  certain  grades  of  superiority  and  sub- 
ordination are  needful,  both  for  individual  and  public 
benefit,  has  not  been  clearly  discerned ;  and  there  has 
been  a  gradual  tendency  to  an  extreme,  which  has 
sensibly  affected  our  manners.  All  the  proprieties  and 
courtesies  which  depend  on  the  recognition  of  the 


ON  DOMESTIC  MANNERS.  139 

relative  duties  of  superior  and  subordinate,  have  been 
warred  upon ;  and  thus  we  see,  to  an  increasing  ex- 
tent, disrespectful  treatment  of  parents,  from-  children ; 
of  teachers,  from  pupils ;  of  employers,  from  domestics ; 
and  of  the  aged,  from  the  young.  In  all  classes  and 
circles,  there  is  a  gradual  decay  in  courtesy  of  address. 

In  cases,  too,  where  kindness  is  rendered,  it  is  often 
accompanied  with  a  cold,  unsympathizing  manner, 
which  greatly  lessens  its  value,  while  kindness  cr  polite- 
ness is  received  in  a  similar  style  of  coolness,  as  if  it 
were  but  the  payment  of  a  just  due. 

It  is  owing  to  these  causes,  that  the  American  peo- 
ple, especially  the  inhabitants  of  New  England,  do  not 
do  themselves  justice.  For,  while  those,  who  are  near 
enough  to  learn  their  real  character  and  feelings,  can 
discern  the  most  generous  impulses,  and  the  most  kind- 
ly sympathies,  they  are  so  veiled,  in  a  composed  and 
indifferent  demeanor,  as  to  be  almost  entirely  concealed 
from  strangers. 

These  defects  in  our  national  manners,  it  especially 
falls  to  the  care  of  mothers,  and  all  who  have  charge 
of  the  young,  to  rectify ;  and  if  they  seriously  under- 
take the  matter,  and  wisely  adapt  means  to  ends,  these 
defects  will  be  remedied.  With  reference  to  this  ob 
ject,  the  following  ideas  are  suggested. 

The  law  of  Christianity  and  of  democracy,  which 
teaches  that  all  men  are  born  equal,  and  that  their 
interests  and  feelings  should  be  regarded  as  of  equal 
value,  seems  to  be  adopted  in  aristocratic  circles,  with 
exclusive  reference  to  the  class  in  which  the  individual 
moves.  The  courtly  gentleman,  addresses  all  of  his 
own  class  with  politeness  and  respect ;  and,  in  all  his 
actions,  seems  to  allow  that  the  feelings  and  conve- 
nience of  others  are  to  be  regarded,  the  same  as  his 
own.  But  his  demeanor  to  those  of  inferior  station, 
is  not  based  on  the  same  rule. 

Among  those,  who  make  up  aristocratic  circles,  such 
as  are  above  them,  are  deemed  of  superior,  and  such 
as  are  below,  of  inferior,  value.  Thus,  if  a  young, 


140  ON  DOMESTIC  MANNERS. 

ignorant,  and  vicious  coxcomb,  happens  to  be  born  a 
lord,  the  aged,  the  virtuous,  the  learned,  and  the  well- 
bred,  of  another  class,  must  give  his  convenience  the 
precedence,  and  must  address  him  in  terms  of  respect 
So,  when  a  man  of  noble  birth  is  thrown  among  the 
lower  classes,  he  Demeans  himself  in  a  style,  which, 
to  persons  of  his  own  class,  would  be  deemed  the 
height  of  assumption  and  rudeness. 

Now,  the  principles  of  democracy  require,  that  the 
same  courtesy,  which  we  accord  to  our  own  circle, 
shall  be  extended  to  every  class  and  condition ;  and 
that  distinctions,  of  superiority  and  subordination,  shall 
depend,  not  on  accidents  of  birth,  fortune,  or  occupa- 
tion, but  solely  on  those  relations,  which  the  good 
of  all  classes  equally  require.  The  distinctions  de- 
manded, in  a  democratic  state,  are  simply  those,  which 
result  from  relations,  that  are  common  to  every  class, 
and  are  for  the  benefit  of  all. 

It  is  for  the  benefit  of  every  class,  that  children  be 
subordinate  to  parents,  pupils  to  teachers,  the  employed 
to  their  employers,  and  subjects  to  magistrates.  In 
addition  to  this,  it  is  for  the  general  wellbeing,  that 
the  comfort  or  convenience  of  the  delicate  and  feeble, 
should  be  preferred  to  that  of  the  strong  and  healthy, 
who  would  suffer  less  by  any  deprivation,  and  thst 
precedence  should  be  given  to  their  elders,  by  the 
young,  and  that  reverence  should  be  given  to  the 
hoary  head. 

The  rules  of  good-breeding,  in  a  democratic  state, 
must  be  founded  on  these  principles.  It  is,  indeed, 
assumed,  that  the  value  of  the  happiness  of  each  indi- 
vidual, is  the  same  as  that  of  every  other;  but,  as 
there  must  be  occasions,  where  there  are  advantages 
which  all  cannot  enjoy,  there  must  be  general  rules 
for  regulating  a  selection.  Otherwise,  there  would 
be  constant  scrambling,  among  those  of  equal  claims, 
and  brute  force  must  be  the  final  resort;  in  which 
case,  the  strongest  would  have  the  best  of  every 
thing.  The  democratic  rule,  then,  is,  that  superiors, 


ON    DOMESTIC    MANNERS.  141 

HI  age,  station,  or  office,  have  precedence  of  subordi 
nates;  age  and  feebleness,  of  youth  and  strength;  and 
the  feebler  sex,  of  more  vigorous  man.* 

There  is,  also,  a  style  of  deportment  and  address, 
which  is  appropriate  to  these  different  relations.  It  is 
suitable  for  a  superior  to  secure  compliance  with  his 
wishes,  from  those  subordinate  to  him,  by  commands ; 
but  a  subordinate  must  secure  compliance  with  his 
wishes,  from  a  superior,  by  requests.  It  is  suitable  for 
a  parent,  teacher,  or  employer,  to  admonish  for  neglect 
of  duty ;  but  not  for  an  inferior  to  adopt  such  a  course 
towards  a  superior.  It  is  suitable  for  a  superior  to  take 
precedence  of  a  subordinate,  without  any  remark ;  but 
not  for  an  inferior,  without  previously  asking  leave,  or 
offering  an  apology.  It  is  proper  for  a  superior  to  use 
language  and  manners  of  freedom  and  familiarity,  which 
would  be  improper  from  a  subordinate  to  a  superior. 

The  want  of  due  regard  to  these  proprieties,  occa- 
sions the  chief  defect  in  American  manners.  It  is  very 
common  to  hear  children  talk  to  their  parents,  in  a 
style  proper  only  between  companions  and  equals ;  so, 
also,  the  young  address  their  elders,  those  employed, 
their  employers,  and  domestics,  the  members  of  the 
family  and  their  visiters,  in  a  style,  which  is  inappropri- 
ate to  their  relative  positions.  A  respectful  address  is 
required  not  merely  towards  superiors ;  every  person 
desires  to  be  treated  with  courtesy  and  respect,  and 
therefore,  the  law  of  benevolence  demands  such  de- 
meanor, towards  all  whom  we  meet  in  the  social  inter- 
course of  life.  "Be  ye  courteous,"  is  the  direction  of 
the  Apostle  in  reference  to  our  treatment  of  all. 

Good-manners  can  be  successfully  cultivated,  only  in\ 
early  life,  and  in  the  domestic  circle.     There  is  nothing 
which  depends  so  much  upon  habit,  as  the  constantly 

*  The  universal  practice  of  this  Nation,  in  thus  giviner  precedence 
to  woman,  has  been  severely  commented  on  by  Miss  Martineau  and 
some  others,  who  would  transfer  all  the  business  of  the  other  sex  to 
women,  and  then  have  them  treated  like  men.  May  this  evidence 
of  our  superior  civilisation  and  Christianity  increase,  rather  than 
diminish  . 


142  ON    DOMESTIC    MANNERS. 

recurring  proprieties  of  good-breeding ;  and,  if  a  child 
grows  up  without  forming  such  habits,  it  is  very  rarely 
the  case  that  they  can  be  formed  at  a  later  period. 
The  feeling,  that  it  is  of  little  consequence  how  we  be- 
have at  home,  if  we  conduct  properly  abroad,  is  a  very 
fallacious  one.  Persons,  who  are  careless  and  ill  bred 
at  home,  may  imagine  that  they  can  assume  good- 
manners  abroad;  but  they  mistake.  Fixed  habits  of 
tone,  manner,  language,  and  movements,  cannot  be 
suddenly  altered ;  and  those  who  are  illbred  at  home, 
even  when  they  try  to  hide  their  bad  habits,  are  sure  to 
violate  many  of  the  obvious  rules  of  propriety,  and  yet 
be  unconscious  of  it. 

And  there  is  nothing,  which  would  so  effectually  re- 
move prejudice  against  our  democratic  institutions,  as 
the  general  cultivation  of  good-breeding  in  the  domes- 
tic circle.  Good-manners  are  the  exterior  of  benevo- 
lence, the  minute  and  often  recurring  exhibitions  of 
"  peace  and  good- will ; "  and  the  nation,  as  well  as  the 
individual,  which  most  excels  in  the  external,  as  well 
as  the  internal,  principle,  will  be  most  respected  and 
beloved. 

The  following  are  the  leading  points,  which  claim 
attention  from  those  who  have  the  care  of  the  young. 

In  the  first  place,  in  the  family,  there  should  be  re- 
quired, a  strict  attention  to  the  rules  of  precedence, 
and  those  modes  of  address  appropriate  to  the  various 
relations  to  be  sustained.  Children  should  always  be 
required  to  offer  their  superiors,  in  age  or  station,  the 
precedence  in  all  comforts  and  conveniences,  and 
always  address  them  in  a  respectful  tone  and  manner. 
The  custom  of  adding  "  Sir,"  or  "  Ma'am,"  to  "  Yes," 
or  "  No/'  is  valuable,  as  a  perpetual  indication  of  a  re- 
spectful recognition  of  superiority.  It  is  now  going  out 
of  fashion,  even  among  the  most  wellbred  people ; 
probably  from  a  want  of  consideration  of  its  impor- 
tance. Every  remnant  of  courtesy  of  address,  in  our 
customs,  should  be  carefully  cherished,  by  all  who  feei 
a  value  for  the  proprieties  of  good-breeding. 


UN  DOMESTIC  MANNERS.  143 

If  parents  allow  their  children  to  talk  to  them,  and 
to  the  grown  persons  in  the  family,  in  the  same  style  in 
which  they  address  each  other,  it  will  be  vain  to  hope 
for  the  courtesy  of  manner  and  tone,  which  good-breed- 
ing demands  in  the  general  intercourse  of  society.  In 
a  large  family,  where  the  elder  children  are  grown  up, 
and  the  younger  are  small,  it  is  important  to  require  the 
latter  to  treat  the  elder  as  superiors.  There  are  none, 
so  ready  as  young  children  to  assume  airs  of  equality ; 
and,  if  they  are  allowed  to  treat  one  class  of  superiors 
in  age  and  character  disrespectfully,  they  will  soon  use 
the  privilege  universally.  This  is  the  reason,  why  the 
youngest  children  of  a  family  are  most  apt  to  be  pert, 
forward,  and  unmannerly. 

Another  point  to  be  aimed  at,  is,  to  require  children 
always  to  acknowledge  every  act  of  kindness  and  atten- 
tion, either  by  words  or  manner.  If  they  are  so  trained 
as  always  to  make  grateful* acknowledgements,  when 
receiving  favors,  one  of  the  objectionable  features  in 
American  manners  will  be  avoided. 

Again,  children  should  be  required  to  ask  leave, 
whenever  they  wish  to  gratify  curiosity,  or  use  an  arti- 
cle which  belongs  to  another.  And  if  cases  occur, 
when  they  cannot  comply  with  the  rules  of  good-breed- 
ing, as,  for  instance,  when  they  must  step  between  a 
person  and  the  fire,  or  take  the  chair  of  an  older  person, 
they  should  be  required  either  to  ask  leave,  or  to  offer 
an  apology. 

There  is  another  point  of  good-breeding,  which  can- 
not, in  all  cases,  be  understood  and  applied  by  children, 
in  its  widest  extent.  It  is  that,  which  requires  us  to 
avoid  all  remarks  which  tend  to  embarrass,  vex,  mortify, 
or  in  any  way  wound  the  feelings,  of  another.  To 
notice  personal  defects ;  to  allude  to  others'  faults,  or 
the  faults  of  their  friends ;  to  speak  disparagingly  of  the 
sect  or  party  to  which  a  person  belongs ;  to  be  inatten- 
tive, when  addressed  in  conversation ;  to  contradict 
flatly ;  to  speak  in  contemptuous  tones  of  opinions  ex- 
pressed by  another; — all  these,  are  violations  of  the 


144  ON    DOMESTIC    MANNERS 

rules  of  good-breeding,  which  children  should  be  taught 
to  regard.  Under  this  head,  comes  the  practice  of 
whispering,  and  staring  about,  when  a  teacher,  or  lec- 
turer, or  clergyman,  is  addressing  a  class  or  audience. 
Such  inattention,  is  practically  saying,  that  what  the 
person  is  uttering  is  not  worth  attending  to ;  and  per- 
sons of  real  good-breeding  always  avoid  it.  Loud 
talking  and  laughing,  in  a  large  assembly,  even  when 
no  exercises  are  going  on ;  yawning  and  gaping  in 
company;  and  not  looking  in  the  face  a  person  who 
is  addressing  you,  are  deemed  marks  of  ill-breeding. 

Another  branch  of  good-manners,  relates  to  the 
duties  of  hospitality.  Politeness  requires  us  to  welcome 
visiters  with  cordiality ;  to  offer  them  the  best  accom- 
modations; to  address  conversation  to  them;  and  to 
express,  by  tone  and  manner,  kindness  and  respect. 
Offering  the  hand  to  all  visiters,  at  one's  own  house,  is 
a  courteous  and  hospitable  custom ;  and  a  cordial  shake 
of  the  hand,  when  friends  meet,  would  abate  much  of 
the  coldness  of  manner  ascribed  to  Americans. 

The  last  point  of  good-breeding,  to  be  noticed,  refers 
to  the  conventional  rules  of  propriety  and  good  taste. 
Of  these,  the  first  class  relates  to  the  avoidance  of  all 
disgusting  or  offensive  personal  habits,  such  as  fingering 
the  hair ;  cleaning  the  teeth  or  nails  ;  picking  the  nose  ; 
spitting  on  carpets ;  snuffing,  instead  of  using  a  handker- 
chief, or  using  the  article  in  an  offensive  manner ;  lifting 
up  the  boots  or  shoes,  as  some  men  do,  to  tend  them 
on  the  knee,  or  to  finger  them ; — all  these  tricks,  either 
at  home  or  in  society,  children  should  be  taught  to 
avoid. 

Another  branch,  under  this  head,  may  be  called  table 
manners.  To  persons  of  good-breeding,  nothing  is 
more  annoying,  than  violating  the  conventional  pro- 
prieties of  the  table.  Reaching  over  another  person's 
plate ;  standing  up,  to  reach  distant  articles,  instead  of 
asking  to  have  them  passed;  using  one's  own  knife, 
and  spoon,  for  butter,  salt,  or  sugar,  when  it  is  the 
custom  of  the  family  to  provide  separate  utensils  for  the 


ON    DOME  SI  1C    MANNERS.  145 

purpose  ;  setting  cups,  with  tea  dripping  from  them,  on 
the  tablecloth,  instead  of  the  mats  or  small  plates  fur- 
nished ;  using  the  tablecloth,  instead  of  the  napkins ; 
eating  fast,  and  in  a  noisy  manner  ;  putting  large  pieces 
in  the  mouth;  looking  and  eating  as  if  very  hungry, 
or  as  if  anxious  to  get  at  certain  dishes ;  sitting  at  too 
great  a  distance  from  the  table,  and  dropping  food; 
laying  the  knife  and  fork  on  the  tablecloth,  instead  of 
on  the  bread,  or  the  edge  of  the  plate ; — all  these  par- 
ticulars, children  should  be  taught  to  avoid.  It  is 
always  desirable,  too,  to  require  children,  when  at  table 
with  grown  persons,  to  be  silent,  except  when  addressed 
by  others;  or  else  their  chattering  will  interrupt  the 
conversation  and  comfort  of  their  elders.  They  should 
always  be  required,  too,  to  wait,  in  silence,  till  all  the 
older  persons  are  helped. 

All  these  things  should  be  taught  to  children,  gradu 
ally,  and  with  great  patience  and  gentleness.  Some 
parents,  with  whom  good-manners  is  a  great  object,  are 
in  danger  of  making  their  children  perpetually  uncom- 
fortable, by  suddenly  surrounding  them  with  so  many 
rules,  that  they  must  inevitably  violate  some  one  or 
other,  a  great  part  of  the  time.  It  is  much  better  to 
begin  with  a  few  rules,  and  be  steady  and  persevering 
with  these,  till  a  habit  is  formed,  and  then  take  a  few 
more,  thus  making  the  process  easy  and  gradual.  Oth- 
erwise, the  temper  of  children  will  be  injured;  or, 
hopeless  of  fulfilling  so  many  requisitions,  they  will  be- 
come reckless  and  indifferent  to  all. 

But,  in  reference  to  those  who  have  enjoyed  advan 
tages  for  the  cultivation  of  good-manners,  and  who 
duly  estimate  its  importance,  one  caution  is  necessary. 
Those,  who  never  have  had  such  habits  formed  in 
youth,  are  under  disadvantages,  which  no  benevolence 
of  temper  can  remedy.  They  may  often  violate  the 
tastes  and  feelings  of  others,  not  from  a  want  of  proper 
regard  for  them,  but  from  ignorance  of  custom,  or  want 
of  habit,  or  abstraction  of  mind,  or  from  other  causes, 
which  domand  forbearance  and  sympathy,  rather  than 

13  D.  E. 


146  ON    DOMESTIC    MANNERS. 

displeasure.  An  ability  to  bear  patiently  with  defects 
in  manners,  and  to  make  candid  and  considerate  allow- 
ance for  a  want  of  advantages,  or  for  peculiarities  in 
mental  habits,  is  one  mark  of  the  benevolence  of  real 
good-breeding. 

The  advocates  of  monarchical  and  aristocratic  insti- 
tutions, have  always  had  great  plausibility  given  to  their 
views,  by  the  seeming  tendencies  to  insubordination 
and  bad-manners,  of  our  institutions.  And  it  has  been 
too  indiscriminately  conceded,  by  the  defenders  of  the 
latter,  that  such  are  these  tendencies,  and  that  the 
offensive  points,  in  American  manners,  are  the  neces- 
sary result  of  democratic  principles. 

But  it  is  believed,  that  both  facts  and  reasoning  are 
in  opposition  to  this  opinion.  The  following  extract 
from  the  work  of  De  Tocqueville,  exhibits  the  opinion 
of  an  impartial  observer,  when  comparing  American 
manners  with  those  of  the  English,  who  are  confessedly 
the  most  aristocratic  of  all  people. 

He  previously  remarks  on  the  tendency  of  aristocra- 
cy to  make  men  more  sympathizing  with  persons  of 
their  own  peculiar  class,  and  less  so  towards  those  of 
lower  degree ;  and  he  then  contrasts  American  manners 
with  the  English,  claiming  that  the  Americans  are  much 
the  most  affable,  mild,  and  social.  "  In  America,  where 
the  privileges  of  birth  never  existed,  and  where  riches 
confer  no  peculiar  rights  on  their  possessors,  men  ac- 
quainted with  each  other  are  very  ready  to  frequent  the 
same  places,  and  find  neither  peril  nor  advantage  in 
the  free  interchange  of  their  thoughts.  If  they  meet, 
by  accident,  they  neither  seek  nor  avoid  intercourse ; 
their  manner  is  therefore  natural,  frank,  and  open." 
"  If  their  demeanor  is  often  cold  and  serious,  it  is  never 
haughty  or  constrained."  But  an  "aristocratic  pride 
is  still  extremely  great  among  the  English ;  and,  as  the 
limits  of  aristocracy  are  ill-defined,  every  body  lives  in 
constant  dread,  lest  advantage  should  be  taken  of  his 
familiarity.  Unable  to  judge,  at  once,  of  the  social  po- 
sition of  those  he  meets,  an  Englishman  prudently 


ON  DOMESTIC  MANNERS.  147 

avoids  all  contact  with  them.  Men  are  afraid,  lest 
some  slight  service  rendered  should  draw  them  into  an 
unsuitable  acquaintance ;  they  dread  civilities,  and  they 
avoid  the  obtrusive  gratitude  of  a  stranger,  as  much  as 
his  hatred." 

Thus,  facts  seem  to  show  that  when  the  most  aristo- 
cratic nation  in  the  world  is  compared,  as  to  manners, 
with  the  most  democratic,  the  judgement  of  stranger* 
is  in  favor  of  the  latter. 

And  if  good-manners  are  the  outward  exhibition  of 
the  democratic  principle  of  impartial  benevolence  and 
equal  rights,  surely  the  nation  which  adopts  this  rule, 
both  in  social  and  civil  life,  is  the  most  likely  to  secure 
the  desirable  exterior.  The  aristocrat,  by  his  princi- 
ples, extends  the  exterior  of  impartial  benevolence  to 
his  own  class,  only ;  the  democratic  principle,  reouires 
it  to  be  extended  to  all. 

There  is  reason,  therefore,  to  hope  and  expect  more 
refined  and  polished  manners  in  America,  than  in  any 
other  land;  while  all  the  developements  of  taste  and 
refinement,  such  as  poetry,  music,  painting,  sculpture, 
and  architecture,  it  may  be  expected,  will  come  to  a 
higher  state  of  perfection,  here,  than  in  any  other 
nation. 

If  this  Country  increases  in  virtue  and  intelligence, 
as  it  may,  there  is  no  end  to  the  wealth  which  will  pour 
in  as  the  result  of  our  resources  of  climate,  soil,  and 
navigation,  and  the  skill,  industry,  energy,  .and  enter- 
prise, of  our  countrymen.  This  wealth,  if  used  as  intel- 
ligence and  virtue  dictate,  will  furnish  the  means  for 
a  superior  education  to  all  classes,  and  every  facility  for 
the  refinement  of  taste,  intellect,  and  feeling. 

Moreover,  in  this  Country,  labor  is  ceasing  to  be  the 
badge  of  a  lower  class  ;  so  that  already  it  is  disreputable 
for  a  man  to  be  "  a  lazy  gentleman."  And  this  feeling 
must  increase,  till  there  is  such  an  equalisation  of  labor 
as  will  afford  all  the  time  needful  for  every  class  to  im 
prove  the  many  advantages  offered  to  them.  Already 
in  Boston,  through  the  munificence  of  some  of  hei 


148  ON    THE    PRESERVATION    OF 

citizens,  there  are  literary  and  scientific  advantages,  of- 
fered to  all  classes,  rarely  enjoyed  elsewhere.  In  Cin- 
cinnati, too,  the  advantages  of  education,  now  offered 
to  the  poorest  classes,  without  charge,  surpass  what, 
some  years  ago,  most  wealthy  men  could  purchase,  for 
any  price.  And  it  is  believed,  that  a  time  will  come, 
when  the  poorest  boy  in  America  can  secure  advan- 
tages, which  will  equal  what  the  heir  of  the  proudest 
peerage  can  now  command. 

The  records  of  the  courts  of  France  and  Germany, 
(as  detailed  by  the  Duchess  of  Orleans,)  in  and  suc- 
ceeding the  brilliant  reign  of  Louis  the  Fourteenth, — a 
period  which  was  deemed  the  acme  of  elegance  and 
refinement, — exhibit  a  grossness,  a  vulgarity,  and  a 
coarseness,  not  to  be  found  among  the  lowest  of  our 
respectable  poor.  And  the  biography  of  Beau  Nash, 
who  attempted  to  reform  the  manners  of  the  gentry,  in 
the  times  of  Queen  Anne,  exhibits  violations  of  the  rules 
of  decen«y  among  the  aristocracy,  which  the  commonest 
yeoman  of  this  Land  would  feel  disgraced  in  perpe- 
trating. 

This  shows,  that  our  lowest  classes,  at  this  period, 
are  more  refined,  than  were  the  highest  in  aristocratic 
.ands,  a  hundred  years  ago ;  and  another  century  may 
show  the  lowest  classes,  in  wealth,  in  this  Country,  at- 
taining as  high  a  polish,  as  adorns  those  who  now  are 
leaders  of  good-manners  in  the  courts  of  kings. 


CHAPTER   XIII. 

ON     THE     PRESERVATION     OF      A     GOOD     TEMPER     IN      A 
HOUSEKEEPER. 

THERE  is  nothing,  which  has  a  more  abiding  influ- 
ence on  the  happiness  of  a  family,  than  the  preservation 
of  equable  and  cheerful  temper  and  tones  in  the  house- 
keeper. A  woman,  who  is  habitually  gentle,  sympa- 


A  GOOD  TEMPER  IN  A  HOUSEKEEPER.      149 

thizing,  forbearing,  and  cheerful,  carries  an  atmosphere 
about  her,  which  imparts  a  soothing  and  sustaining  in- 
fluence, and  renders  it  easier  for  all  to  do  right,  under 
her  administration,  than  in  any  other  situation. 

The  writer  has  known  families,  where  the  mother'? 
presence  seemed  the  sunshine  of  the  circle  around  her ; 
imparting  a  cheering  and  vivifying  power,  scarcely  real- 
ized, till  it  was  withdrawn.  Every  one,  without  think- 
ing of  it,  or  knowing  why  it  was  so,  experienced  a 
peaceful  and  invigorating  influence,  as  soon  as  he  en- 
tered the  sphere  illumined  by  her  smile,  and  sustained 
by  her  cheering  kindness  and  sympathy.  On  the  con- 
trary, many  a  good  housekeeper,  (good  in  every  respect 
but  this,)  by  wearing  a  countenance  of  anxiety  and  dis- 
satisfaction, and  by  indulging  in  the  frequent  use  of 
sharp  and  reprehensive  tones,  more  than  destroys  all 
the  comfort  which  otherwise  would  result  from  her  sys- 
tem, neatness,  and  economy. 

There  is  a  secret,  social  sympathy,  which  every  mind, 
to  a  greater  or  less  degree,  experiences  with  the  feelings 
of  those  around,  as  they  are  manifested  by  the  coun- 
tenance and  voice.  A  sorrowful,  a  discontented,  or  an 
angry,  countenance,  produces  a  silent,  sympathetic  in- 
fluence, imparting  a  sombre  shade  to  the  mind,  while 
tones  of  anger  or  complaint  still  more  effectually  jar 
the  spirits. 

No  person  can  maintain  a  quiet  and  cheerful  frame 
of  mind,  while  tones  of  discontent  and  displeasure  are 
sounding  on  the  ear.  We  may  gradually  accustom 
ourselves  to  the  evil,  till  it  is  partially  diminished ;  but 
it  always  is  an  evil,  which  greatly  interferes  with  the 
enjoyment  of  the  family  state.  There  are  sometimes 
cases,  where  the  entrance  of  the  mistress  of  a  family 
seems  to  awaken  a  slight  apprehension,  in  every  mind 
around,  as  if  each  felt  in  danger  of  a  reproof,  for  some- 
thing either  perpetrated  or  neglected.  A  woman,  who 
should  go  around  her  house  with  a  small  stinging  snap- 
per, which  she  habitually  applied  to  those  whom  she 
met,  would  be  encountered  with  feelings  yery  much  like 

13*  D    E 


150  ON    THE    PRESERVATION    OF 

to  those  which  are  experienced  by  the  inmates  of  a  fam- 
ily, where  the  mistress  often  uses  her  countenance  and 
voice,  to  inflict  similar  penalties  for  duties  neglected. 

Yet,  there  are  many  allowances  to  be  made  for  house 
keepers,  who  sometimes  imperceptibly  and  unconscious- 
ly fall  into  such  habits.  A  woman,  who  attempts  to 
carry  out  any  plans  of  system,  order,  and  economy,  and 
who  has  her  feelings  and  habits  conformed  to  certain 
rules,  is  constantly  liable  to  have  her  plans  crossed,  and 
her  taste  violated,  by  the  inexperience  or  inattention  of 
those  about  her.  And  no  housekeeper,  whatever  may 
be  her  habits,  can  escape  the  frequent  recurrence  of 
negligence  or  mistake,  which  interferes  with  her  plans. 
It  is  probable,  that  there  is  no  class  of  persons,  in  the 
world,  who  have  such  incessant  trials  of  temper,  and 
temptations  to  be  fretful,  as  American  housekeepers. 
For  a  housekeeper's  business  is  not,  like  that  of  the 
other  sex,  limited  to  a  particular  department,  for  which 
previous  preparation  is  made.  It  consists  of  ten  thou- 
sand little  disconnected  items,  which  can  never  be  so 
systematically  arranged,  that  there  is  no  daily  jostling, 
somewhere.  And  in  the  best-regulated  families,  it  Is 
not  unfrequently  the  case,  that  some  act  of  forgetful- 
ness  or  carelessness,  from  some  member,  will  disarrange 
the  business  of  the  whole  day,  so  that  every  hour  will 
bring  renewed  occasion  for  annoyance.  And  the  more 
strongly  a  woman  realizes  the  value  of  time,  and  the 
importance  of  system  and  order,  the  more  will  she  be 
tempted  to  irritability  and  complaint. 

The  following  considerations,  may  aid  in  preparing  a 
woman  to  meet  such  daily  crosses,  with  even  a  cheerful 
temper  and  tones. 

In  the  first  place,  a  woman,  who  has  charge  of  a  large 
household,  should  regard  her  duties  as  dignified,  im- 
portant, and  difficult.  The  mind  is  so  made,  as  to  be 
elevated  and  cheered  by  a  sense  of  far-reaching  influ- 
ence and  usefulness.  A  woman,  who  feels  that  she  is 
a  cipher,  and  that  it  makes  little  difference  how  she 
performs  her  duties,  has  far  less  to  sustain  and  invigor- 


A  GOOD  TEMPER  IN  A  HOUSEKEEPER.      151 

ate  her,  than  one,  who  truly  estimates  the  importance 
of  her  station.  A  man,  who  feels  that  the  destinies  of 
a  nation  are  turning  on  the  judgement  and  skill  with 
which  he  plans  and  executes,  has  a  pressure  of  motive, 
and  an  elevation  of  feeling,  which  are  great  safeguards 
from  all  that  is  low,  trivial,  and  degrading. 

So,  an  American  mother  and  housekeeper,  who  looks 
at  her  position  in  the  aspect  presented  in  the  previous 
pages,  and  who  rightly  estimates  the  long  train  of  influ- 
ences which  will  pass  down  to  thousands,  whose  desti- 
nies, from  generation  to  generation,  will  be  modified  by 
those  decisions  of  her  will,  which  regulated  the  temper, 
principles,  and  habits,  of  her  family,  must  be  elevated 
above  petty  temptations,  which  would  otherwise  as 
sail  her. 

Again,  a  housekeeper  should  feel  that  she  really  has 
great  difficulties  to  meet  and  overcome.  A  person, 
who  wrongly  thinks  there  is  little  danger,  can  never 
maintain  so  faithful  a  guard,  as  one  who  rightly  esti- 
mates the  temptations  which  beset  her.  Nor  can  one, 
who  thinks  that  they  are  trifling  difficulties  which  she 
has  to  encounter,  and  trivial  temptations,  to  which  she 
must  yield,  so  much  enjoy  the  just  reward  of  conscious 
virtue  and  self-control,  as  one  who  takes  an  opposite 
view  of  the  subject. 

A  third  method,  is,  for  a  woman  deliberately  to  cal- 
culate on  having  her  best-arranged  plans  interfered 
with,  very  often  ;  and  to  be  in  such  a  state  of  prepara- 
tion, that  the  evil  will  not  come  unawares.  So  compli- 
cated are  the  pursuits,  and  so  diverse  the  habits  of  the 
various  members  of  a  family,  that  it  is  almost  impossible 
for  every  one  to  avoid  interfering  with  the  plans  and 
taste  of  a  housekeeper,  in  some  one  point  or  another. 
It  is,  therefore,  most  wise,  for  a  woman  to  keep  the  loins 
of  her  mind  ever  girt,  to  meet  such  collisions  with  a 
cheerful  and  quiet  spirit. 

Another  important  rule,  is,  to  form  all  plans  and  ar- 
rangements in  consistency  with  the  means  at  command, 
and  the  character  of  those  around.  A  woman,  who  has 


152  ON    THE    PRESERVATION    OF 

a  heedless  husband,  and  young  children,  and  incompe- 
tent domestics,  ought  not  to  make  such  plans,  as  one 
may  properly  form,  who  will  not,  in  so  many  directions, 
meet  embarrassment.  She  must  aim  at  just  so  much 
as  she  can  probably  secure,  and  no  more ;  and  thus  she 
will  usually  escape  much  temptation,  and  much  of  the 
irritation  of  disappointment. 

The  fifth,  and  a  very  important,  consideration,  is, 
that  system,  economy,  and  neatness,  are  valuable,  only  so 
far  as  they  tend  to  promote  the  comfort  and  well-being 
of  those  affected.  Some  women  seem  to  act  under  the 
impression,  that  these  advantages  must  be  secured,  at 
all  events,  even  if  the  comfort  of  the  family  be  the 
sacrifice.  True,  it  is  very  important  that  children  grow 
up  in  habits  of  system,  neatness,  and  order ;  and  it  is 
very  desirable  that  the  mother  give  them  every  incentive, 
both  by  precept  and  example :  but  it  is  still  more  im- 
portant, that  they  grow  up  with  amiable  tempers,  that 
they  learn  to  meet  the  crosses  of  life  with  patience  and 
cheerfulness  ;  and  nothing  has  a  greater  influence  to  se- 
cure this,  than  a  mother's  example.  Whenever,  there- 
fore, a  woman  cannot  accomplish  her  plans  of  neatness 
and  order,  without  injury  to  her  own  temper,  or  to  the 
temper  of  others,  she  ought  to  modify  and  reduce  them, 
until  she  can. 

The  sixth  method,  relates  to  the  government  of  the 
tones  of  voice.  In  many  cases,  when  a  woman's  do- 
mestic arrangements  are  suddenly  and  seriously  crossed, 
it  is  impossible  not  to  feel  some  irritation.  But  it  is  al- 
ways possible  to  refrain  from  angry  tones.  A  woman 
can  resolve,  that,  whatever  happens,  she  will  not  speak, 
till  she  can  do  it  in  a  calm  and  gentle  manner.  Perfect 
silence  is  a  safe  resort,  when  such  control  cannot  be  at 
tained,  as  enables  a  person  to  speak  calmly ;  and  this 
determination,  persevered  in,  will  eventually  be  crowned 
with  success. 

Many  persons  seem  to  imagine,  that  tones  of  anger 
are  needful,  in  order  to  secure  prompt  obedience.  But 
observation  has  convinced  the  writer  that  they  are  neve? 


A    GOOD    TEMPER    IN    A    HOUSEKEEPER.  153 

necessary ;  that  in  all  cases,  reproof,  administered  in 
calm  tones,  would  be  better.  A  case  will  be  given  in 
illustration. 

A  young  girl  had  been  repeatedly  charged  to  avoid  a 
certain  arrangement  in  cooking.  On  one  day,  when 
company  was  invited  to  dine,  the  direction  was  forgot 
ten,  and  the  consequence  was,  an  accident,  which  dis 
arranged  every  thing,  seriously  injured  the  principal 
dish,  and  delayed  dinner  for  an  hour.  The  mistress  of 
the  family  entered  the  kitchen,  just  as  it  occurred,  and, 
at  a  glance,  saw  the  extent  of  the  mischief.  For  a 
moment,  her  eyes  flashed,  and  her  cheeks  glowed ;  but 
she  held  her  peace.  After  a  minute  or  so,  she  gave  di- 
rections, in  a  calm  voice,  as  to  the  best  mode  of  re- 
trieving the  evil,  and  then  left,  without  a  word  said  to 
the  offender. 

After  the  company  left,  she  sent  for  the  girl,  alone, 
and  in  a  calm  and  kind  manner  pointed  out  the  aggra- 
vations of  the  case,  and  described  the  trouble  which 
had  been  caused  to  her  husband,  her  visiters,  and  her- 
self. She  then  portrayed  the  future  evils  which  would 
result  from  such  habits  of  neglect  and*inattention,  and 
the  modes  of  attempting  to  overcome  them ;  and  then 
offered  a  reward  for  the  future,  if,  in  a  given  time,  she 
succeeded  in  improving  in  this  respect.  Not  a  tone  of 
anger  was  uttered ;  and  yet  the  severest  scolding  of  a 
practised  Xantippe  could  not  have  secured  such  con- 
trition, and  determination  to  reform,  as  was  gained  by 
this  method. 

But  similar  negligence  is  often  visited  by  a  continuous 
stream  of  complaint  and  reproof,  which,  in  most  cases, 
is  met,  either  by  sullen  silence,  or  impertinent  retort, 
while  anger  prevents  any  contrition,  or  any  resolution 
of  future  amendment. 

It  is  very  certain,  that  some  ladies  do  carry  forward 
a  most  efficient  government,  both  of  children  and  do- 
mestics, without  employing  tones  of  anger ;  and  there 
fore  they  are  not  indispensable,  nor  on  any  accoun 
desirable. 


154        ON    THE    PRESERVATION    OF    GOOD    TEMPER. 

Though  some  ladies,  of  intelligence  and  refinement, 
do  fall  unconsciously  into  such  a  practice,  it  is  certainly 
very  unlady-like,  and  in  very  bad  taste,  to  scold ;  and 
the  further  a  woman  departs  from  all  approach  to  it,  the 
more  perfectly  she  sustains  her  character  as  a  lady. 

Another  method  of  securing  equanimity,  amid  the 
trials  of  domestic  life,  is,  to  cultivate  a  habit  of  making 
allowances  for  the  difficulties,  ignorance,  or  temptations, 
of  those  who  violate  rule  or  neglect  duty.  It  is  vain, 
and  most  unreasonable,  to  expect  the  consideration  and 
care  of  a  mature  mind,  in  childhood  and  youth  ;  or  that 
persons,  of  such  limited  advantages  as  most  domestics 
have  enjoyed,  should  practise  proper  self-control,  and 
possess  proper  habits  and  principles. 

Every  parent,  and  every  employer,  needs  daily  to 
cultivate  the  spirit  expressed  in  the  Divine  prayer,  "  for 
give  us  our  trespasses,  as  we  forgive  those  who  trespass 
against  us."  The  same  allowances  and  forbearance, 
which  we  supplicate  from  our  Heavenly  Father,  and 
desire  from  our  fellow-men,  in  reference  to  our  own 
deficiencies,  we  should  constantly  aim  to  extend  to  all, 
who  cross  our  feelings  and  interfere  with  our  plans. 

The  last,  and  most  important,  mode  of  securing  a 
placid  and  cheerful  temper  and  tones,  is,  by  a  right 
view  of  the  doctrine  of  a  superintending  Providence. 
All  persons  are  too  much  in  the  habit  of  regarding  the 
more  important  events  of  life,  as  exclusively  under  the 
control  of  Perfect  Wisdom.  But  the  fall  of  a  sparrow, 
or  the  loss  of  a  hair,  they  do  not  feel  to  be  equally  the 
result  of  His  directing  agency.  In  consequence  of  this, 
Christian  persons,  who  aim  at  perfect  and  cheerful  sub- 
mission to  heavy  afflictions,  and  who  succeed,  to  the 
edification  of  all  about  them,  are  sometimes  sadly  de- 
ficient under  petty  crosses.  If  a  beloved  child  be  laid 
in  the  grave,  even  if  its  death  resulted  from  the  care- 
lessness of  a  domestic,  or  of  a  physician,  the  eye  is 
turned  from  the  subordinate  agent,  to  the  Supreme 
Guardian  of  all,  and  to  Him  they  bow,  without  mur- 
mur or  complaint.  But  if  a  pudding  be  burnt,  or  a 


ON    HABITS    OF    SYSTEM    AND    ORDER.  155 

room  badly  swept,  or  an  errand  forgotten,  then  vexa- 
tion and  complaint  are  allowed,  just  as  if  these  events 
were  not  appointed  by  Perfect  Wisdom,  as  much  as  the 
sorer  chastisement. 

A  woman,  therefore,  needs  to  cultivate  the  habitual 
feeling,  that  all  the  events  of  her  nursery  and  kitchen, 
are  brought  about  by  the  permission  of  our  Heavenly 
Father,  and  that  fretfulness  or  complaint,  in  regard  to 
these,  is,  in  fact,  complaining  and  disputing  at  the  ap- 
pointments of  God,  and  is  really  as  sinful,  as  unsub- 
missive murmurs  amid  the  sorer  chastisements  of  His 
hand.  And  a  woman,  who  cultivates  this  habit  of  re- 
ferring all  the  minor  trials  of  life  to  the  wise  and  be- 
nevolent agency  of  a  Heavenly  Parent,  and  daily  seeks 
His  sympathy  and  aid,  to  enable  her  to  meet  them  with 
a  quiet  and  cheerful  spirit,  will  soon  find  it  the  peren- 
nial spring  of  abiding  peace  and  content. 


CHAPTER   XIV. 

ON    HABITS    OP    SYSTEM    AND    ORDER. 

THE  discussion  of  the  question  of  the  equality  of  the 
sexes,  in  intellectual  capacity,  seems  frivolous  and  use- 
less, both  because  it  can  never  be  decided,  and  because 
there  would  be  no  possible  advantage  in  the  decision. 
But  one  topic,  which  is  often  drawn  into  this  discussion, 
is  of  far  more  consequence ;  and  that  is,  the  relative 
importance  and  difficulty  of  the  duties  a  woman  is  called 
to  perform. 

It  is  generally  assumed,  and  almost  as  generally  con- 
ceded, that  woman's  business  and  cares  are  contracted 
and  trivial ;  and  that  the  proper  discharge  of  her  duties, 
demands  far  less  expansion  of  mind  and  vigor  of  intel- 
lect, than  the  pursuits  of  the  other  sex.  This  idea  has 
prevailed,  because  women,  as  a  mass,  have  never  been 
educated  with  reference  to  their  most  important  duties ; 


15CT  ON    HABITS    OF    SYSTEM    AND    ORDER. 

while  that  portion  of  their  employments,  which  is  of 
least  value,  has  been  regarded  as  the  chief,  if  not  the 
sole,  concern  of  a  woman.  The  covering  of  the  body, 
the  conveniences  of  residences,  and  the  gratification  oi 
the  appetite,  have  been  too  much  regarded  as  the  sole 
objects,  on  which  her  intellectual  powers  are  to  be  ex- 
ercised. 

But,  as  society  gradually  shakes  off  the  remnants  of 
barbarism,  and  the  intellectual  and  moral  interests  of 
man  rise,  in  estimation,  above  the  merely  sensual,  a 
truer  estimate  is  formed  of  woman's  duties,  and  of  the 
measure  of  intellect  requisite  for  the  proper  discharge 
of  them.  Let  any  man,  of  sense  and  discernment,  be- 
come the  member  of  a  large  household,  in  which,  a 
well-educated  and  pious  woman  is  endeavoring  system- 
atically to  discharge  her  multiform  duties ;  let  him  fully 
comprehend  all  her  cares,  difficulties,  and  perplexities ; 
and  it  is  probable  he  would  coincide  in  the  opinion,  that 
no  statesman,  at  the  head  of  a  nation's  affairs,  had  more 
frequent  calls  for  wisdom,  firmness,  tact,  discrimination, 
prudence,  and  versatility  of  talent,  than  such  a  woman 

She  has  a  husband,  to  whose  peculiar  tastes  and  hab 
its  she  must  accommodate  herself;  she  has  children, 
whose  health  she  must  guard,  whose  physical  constitu 
tions  she  must  study  and  develope,  whose  temper  and 
habits   she  must  regulate,  whose  principles  she  must 
form,  whose  pursuits  she  must  direct.     She  has  con 
stantly  changing  domestics,  with  all  varieties  of  tempei 
and  habits,  whom  she  must  govern,  instruct,  and  direct 
she  is  required  to  regulate  the  finances  of  the  domestic 
state,  and  constantly  to  adapt  expenditures  to  the  means 
and  to  the  relative  claims  of  each  department.     She 
has  the  direction  of  the  kitchen,  where  ignorance,  for 
getfulness,  and  awkwardness,  are  to  be  so  regulated, 
that  the  various  operations  shall  each  stait  at  the  right 
time,  and  all  be  in  completeness  at  the  same  given  hour. 
.She  has  the  claims  of  society  to  meet,  calls  to  receive 
and  return,  and  the  duties  of  hospitality  to  sustain.     She 
has  the  poor  to  relieve ;  benevolent  societies  to  aid ; 


ON    HABITS    OF    SYSTEM    AND    ORDER.  15*7 

the  schools  of  her  children  to  inquire  and  decide  about 
the  care  of  the  sick  ;  the  nursing  of  infancy ;  and  the 
endless  miscellany  of  odd  items,  constantly  recurring  in 
a  large  family. 

Surely,  it  is  a  pernicious  and  mistaken  idea,  that  the 
duties,  which  tax  a  woman's  mind,  are  petty,  trivial,  or 
unworthy  of  the  highest  grade  of  intellect  and  moral 
worth.  Instead  of  allowing  this  feeling,  every  woman 
should  imbibe,  from  early  youth,  the  impression,  that 
she  is  training  for  the  discharge  of  the  most  important, 
the  most  difficult,  and  the  most  sacred  and  interesting- 
duties  that  can  possibly  employ  the  highest  intellect. 
She  ought  to  feel,  that  her  station  and  responsibilities, 
in  the  great  drama  of  life,  are  second  to  none,  either  as 
viewed  by  her  Maker,  or  in  the  estimation  of  all  minds 
whose  judgement  is  most  worthy  of  respect. 

She,  who  is  the  mother  and  housekeeper  in  a  large 
family,  is  the  sovereign  of  an  empire,  demanding  more 
varied  cares,  and  involving  more  difficult  duties,  than 
are  really  exacted  of  her,  who,  while  she  wears  the 
crown,  and  professedly  regulates  the  interests  of  the 
greatest  nation  on  earth,  finds  abundant  leisure  for 
theatres,  balls,  horseraces,  and  every  gay  pursuit. 

There  is  no  one  thing,  more  necessary  to  a  house- 
keeper, in  performing  her  varied  duties,  than  a  habit  of 
system  and  order ;  and  yet,  the  peculiarly  desultory  na- 
ture of  women's  pursuits,  and  the  embarrassments  re- 
sulting from  the  state  of  domestic  service  in  this 
Country,  render  it  very  difficult  to  form  such  a  habit. 
But  it  is  sometimes  the  case,  that  women,  who  could 
and  would  carry  forward  a  systematic  plan  of  domestic 
economy,  do  not  attempt  it,  simply  from  a  want  of 
knowledge  of  the  various  modes  of  introducing  it.  It 
is  with  reference  to  such,  that  various  modes  of  securing 
system  and  order,  which  the  writer  has  seen  adopted, 
will  be  pointed  out. 

A  wise  economy  is  nowhere  more  conspicuous,  than 
in  the  right  apportionment  of  time  to  different  pursuits. 
There  are  duties  of  a  religious  intellectual,  social,  and 

14  D.K. 


158  ON    HABITS    OF    SYSTEM    AND    ORDER 

domestic,  nature,  each  having  different  relative  claims 
on  attention.  Unless  a  person  has  some  general  plan 
of  apportioning  these  claims,  some  will  intrench  on 
others,  and  some,  it  is  probable,  will  be  entirely  ex- 
cluded. Thus,  some  find  religious,  social,  and  domes- 
tic, duties,  so  numerous,  that  no  time  is  given  to  intel- 
lectual improvement.  Others,  find  either  social,  or 
benevolent,  or  religious,  interests,  excluded  by  the  ex 
tent  and  variety  of  other  engagements. 

It  is  wise,  therefore,  for  all  persons  to  devise  a  gen- 
eral plan,  which  they  will  at  least  keep  in  view,  and 
aim  to  accomplish,  and  by  which,  a  proper  proportion 
of  time  shall  be  secured,  for  all  the  duties  of  life. 

In  forming  such  a  plan,  every  woman  must  accom 
modate  herself  to  the  peculiarities  of  her  situation.  If 
she  has  a  large  family,  and  a  small  income,  she  must 
devote  far  more  time  to  the  simple  duty  of  providing 
food  and  raiment,  than  would  be  right  were  she  in  af- 
fluence, and  with  a  small  family.  It  is  impossible, 
therefore,  to  draw  out  any  general  plan,  which  all  can 
adopt.  But  there  are  some  general  principles,  which 
ought  to  be  the  guiding  rules,  when  a  woman  arranges 
her  domestic  employments.  These  principles  are  to  be 
based  on  Christianity,  which  teaches  us  to  "  seek  first 
the  kingdom  of  God,"  and  to  deem  food,  raiment,  and 
the  conveniences  of  life,  as  of  secondary  account. 
Every  woman,  then,  ought  to  start  with  the  assumption, 
that  religion  is  of  more  consequence  than  any  worldly 
concern,  and  that,  whatever  else  may  be  sacrificed,  this, 
shall  be  the  leading  object,  in  all  her  arrangements,  in 
respect  to  tune,  money,  and  attention.  It  is  also  one 
of  the  plainest  requisitions  of  Christianity,  that  we  de- 
vote some  of  our  time  and  efforts,  to  the  comfort  and 
improvement  of  others.  There  is  no  duty,  so  con- 
stantly enforced,  both  in  the  Old  and  New  Testament, 
as  the  duty  of  charity,  in  dispensing  to  those,  who  are 
destitute  of  the  blessings  we  enjoy.  In  selecting  ob- 
jects of  charity,  the  same  rule  applies  to  others,  as  to 
ourselves;  their  moral  and  religious  interests  are  of  the 


ON    HABITS    OF    SYSTEM    AND    ORDER.  159 

highest  moment,  and  for  them,  as  well  as  for  ourselves, 
we  are  to  "  seek  first  the  kingdom  of  God." 

Another  general  principle,  is,  that  our  intellectual  and 
social  interests  are  to  be  preferred,  to  the  mere  gratifi- 
cation of  taste  or  appetite.  A  portion  of  time,  there- 
fore, must  be  devoted  to  the  cultivation  of  the  intellect 
and  the  social  affections . 

Another,  is,  that  the  mere  gratification  of  appetite,  is 
to  be  placed  last  in  our  estimate ;  so  that,  when  a  ques- 
tion arises,  as  to  which  shall  be  sacrificed,  some  intel- 
lectual, moral,  or  social,  advantage,  or  some  gratification 
of  sense,  we  should  invariably  sacrifice  the  last. 

Another,  is,  that,  as  health  is  indispensable  to  the 
discharge  of  every  duty,  nothing,  which  sacrifices  that 
blessing,  is  to  be  allowed,  in  order  to  gain  any  other 
advantage  or  enjoyment.  There  are  emergencies,  when 
it  is  right  to  risk  health  and  life,  to  save  ourselves  and 
others  from  greater  evils ;  but  these  are  exceptions, 
which  do  not  militate  against  the  general  rule.  Many 
persons  imagine,  that,  if  they  violate  the  laws  of  health, 
in  performing  religious  or  domestic  duties,  they  are 
guiltless  before  God.  But  such  greatly  mistake.  We 
as  directly  violate  the  law,  "  thou  shalt  not  kill,"  when 
we  do  what  tends  to  risk  or  shorten  our  own  life,  as  if 
we  should  intentionally  run  a  dagger  into  a  neighbor. 
True,  we  may  escape  any  fatal  or  permanently  injurious 
effects,  and  so  may  a  dagger  or  bullet  miss  the  mark, 
or  do  only  transient  injury.  But  this,  in  either  case, 
makes  the  sin  none  the  less.  The  life  and  happiness 
of  all  His  creatures  are  dear  to  our  Creator ;  and  He  is 
as  much  displeased,  when  we  injure  our  own  interests, 
as  when  we  injure  those  of  others.  The  idea,  there- 
fore, that  we  are  excusable,  if  we  harm  no  one  but  our- 
selves, is  false  and  pernicious.  These,  then,  are  the 
general  principles,  to  guide  a  woman  in  systematizing 
her  duties  and  pursuits. 

The  Creator  of  all  things,  is  a  Being  of  perfect  sys- 
tem and  order ;  and,  to  aid  us  in  our  duty,  in  this 
respect,  He  has  divided  our  time,  by  a  regularly  return- 


160  ON    HABITS    OF    SYSTEM    AND    ORDER. 

ing  day  of  rest  from  worldly  business.  In  following 
this  example,  the  intervening  six  days  may  be  subdi- 
vided to  secure  similar  benefits.  In  doing  this,  a  certain 
portion  of  time  must  be  given  to  procure  the  means  of 
livelihood,  and  for  preparing  food,  raiment,  and  dwell- 
ings. To  these  objects,  some  must  devote  more,  and 
others  less,  attention.  The  remainder  of  time  not 
necessarily  thus  employed,  might  be  divided  somewhat 
in  this  manner:  The  leisure  of  two  afternoons  and 
evenings,  could  be  devoted  to  religious  and  benevolent 
objects,  such  as  religious  meetings,  charitable  associa 
tions,  school  visiting,  and  attention  to  the  sick  and  poor 
The  leisure  of  two  other  days,  might  be  devoted  to 
intellectual  improvement,  and  the  pursuits  of  taste. 
The  leisure  of  another  day,  might  be  devoted  to  social 
enjoyments,  in  making  or  receiving  visits;  and  that 
of  another,  to  miscellaneous  domestic  pursuits,  not  in- 
cluded in  the  other  particulars. 

It  is  probable,  that  few  persons  could  carry  out  such 
an  arrangement,  very  strictly ;  but  every  one  can  make 
a  systematic  apportionment  of  time,  and  at  least  aim 
at  accomplishing  it;  and  they  can  also  compare  the 
time  which  they  actually  devote  to  these  different  ob- 
jects, with  such  a  general  outline,  for  the  purpose  of 
modifying  any  mistaken  proportions. 

Without  attempting  any  such  systematic  employment 
of  time,  and  carrying  it  out,  so  far  as  they  can  control 
circumstances,  most  women  are  rather  .driven  along,  by 
the  daily  occurrences  of  life,  so  that,  instead  of  being 
the  intelligent  regulators  of  their  own  time,  they  are 
the  mere  sport  of  circumstances.  There  is  nothing, 
which  so  distinctly  marks  the  difference  between  weak 
and  strong  minds,  as  the  fact,  whether  they  control  cir- 
cumstances, or  circumstances  control  them. 

It  is  very  much  to  be  feared,  that  the  apportionment 
of  time,  actually  made  by  most  women,  exactly  inverts 
the  order,  required  by  reason  and  Christianity.  Thus, 
the  furnishing  a  needless  variety  of  food,  the  conve- 
niences of  dwellings,  and  the  adornments  of  dress, 


ON    HABITS    OF    SYSTEM    AND    ORDER.  161 

often  take  a  larger  portion  of  time,  than  is  gnen  to 
any  other  object.  Next  after  this,  comes  intellectu- 
al improvement;  and,  last  of  all,  benevolence  and 
religion. 

It  may  be  urged,  that  it  is  indispensable  for  most 
persons  to  give  more  time  to  earn  a  livelihood,  and  to 
prepare  food,  raiment,  and  dwellings,  than  to  any  other 
object.  But  it  may  be  asked,  how  much  of  the  time, 
devoted  to  these  objects,  is  employed  in  preparing 
varieties  of  food,  not  necessary,  but  rather  injurious, 
and  how  much  is  spent  for  those  parts  of  dress  and 
furniture  not  indispensable,  and  merely  ornamental? 
Let  a  woman  subtract  from  her  domestic  employments, 
all  the  time,  given  to  pursuits  which  are  of  no  use, 
except  as  they  gratify  a  taste  for  ornament,  or  minister 
increased  varieties,  to  tempt  the  appetite,  and  she  will 
find,  that  much,  which  she  calls  "  domestic  duties,"  and 
which  prevent  her  attention  to  intellectual,  benevolent, 
and  religious,  objects,  should  be  called  by  a  very  differ- 
ent name.  No  woman  has  a  right  to  give  up  atten- 
tion to  the  higher  interests  of  herself  and  others,  for  the 
ornaments  of  taste,  or  the  gratification  of  the  palate. 
To  a  certain  extent,  these  lower  objects  are  lawful  and 
desirable ;  but,  when  they  intrude  on  nobler  interests, 
they  become  selfish  and  degrading.  Every  woman 
then,  when  employing  her  hands,  in  ornamenting  her 
person,  her  children,  or  her  house,  ought  to  calculate, 
whether  she  has  devoted  as  much  time,  to  the  intellec- 
tual and  moral  wants  of  herself  and  others.  If  she  has 
not,  she  may  know  that  she  is  doing  wrong,  and  that 
her  system,  for  apportioning  her  time  and  pursuits, 
should  be  altered. 

Some  persons,  endeavor  to  systematize  their  pursuits 
by  apportioning  them  to  particular  hours  of  each  day. 
For  example,  a  certain  period  before  breakfast,  is  given 
to  devotional  duties ;  after  breakfast,  certain  hours  are 
devoted  to  exercise  and  domestic  employments ;  other 
hours,  to  sewing,  or  reading,  or  visiting;  and  others, 
to  benevolent  duties.  But,  in  most  cases,  A  is  mora 
14*  •  T>  F. 


16*2  ON    HABITS    OF    SYSTEM    AND    ORDER. 

difficult  to  systematize  the  hours  of  each  day,  than  it  is 
to  secure  some  regular  division  of  the  week. 

In  regard  to  the  minutiae  of  domestic  arrangements, 
the  writer  has  known  the  following  methods  to  be 
adopted.  Monday,  with  some  of  the  best  housekeepers, 
is  devoted  to  preparing  for  the  labors  of  the  week. 
Any  extra  cooking,  the  purchasing  of  articles  to  be  used 
during  the  week,  the  assorting  of  clothes  for  the  wash, 
and  mending  such  as  would  be  injured  without ; — 
these,  and  similar  items,  belong  to  this  day.  Tuesday 
is  devoted  to  washing,  and  Wednesday  to  ironing.  On 
Thursday,  the  ironing  is  finished  off,  the  clothes  are 
folded  and  put  away,  and  all  articles,  which  need 
mending,  are  put  in  the  mending  basket,  and  attended 
to.  Friday  is  devoted  to  sweeping  and  housecleaning. 
On  Saturday,  and  especially  the  last  Saturday  of  every 
month,  every  department  is  put  in  order;  the  castors 
and  table  furniture  are  regulated,  the  pantry  and  cellar 
inspected,  the  trunks,  drawers,  and  closets  arranged, 
and  every  thing  about  the  house,  put  in  order  for  Sun- 
day. All  the  cooking,  needed  for  Sunday,  is  also  pre- 
pared. By  this  regular  recurrence  of  a  particular  time, 
for  inspecting  every  thing,  nothing  is  forgotten  till 
ruined  by  neglect. 

Another  mode  of  systematizing,  relates  to  providing 
proper  supplies  of  conveniences,  and  proper  places  in 
which  to  keep  them.  Thus,  some  ladies  keep  a  large 
closet,  in  which  are  placed  the  tubs,  pails,  dippers, 
soap-dishes,  starch,  bluing,  clothes-line,  clothes-pins, 
and  every  other  article  used  in  washing;  and  in  the 
same,  or  another,  place,  are  kept  every  convenience  for 
ironing.  In  the  sewing  department,  a  trunk,  with  suit- 
able partitions,  is  provided,  in  which  are  placed,  each 
in  its  proper  place,  white  thread  of  all  sizes,  colored 
thread,  yarns  for  mending,  colored  and  black  sewing- 
silks  and  twist,  tapes  and  bobbins  of  all  sizes,  white 
and  colored  welting-cords,  silk  braids  and  cords,  nee- 
dles of  all  sizes,  papers  of  pins,  remnants  of  linen  and 
colored  cambric,  a  supply  of  all  kinds  of  buttons  used 


ON    HABITS    OF    SYSTEM    AND    ORDER.  163 

in  the  family,  black  and  white  hooks  and  eyes,  a  yard 
measure,  and  all  the  patterns  used  in  cutting  and  fitting. 
These  are  done  up  in  separate  parcels,  and  labelled. 
In  another  trunk,  are  kept  all  pieces  used  in  mending, 
arranged  in  order,  so  that  any  article  can  be  found, 
without  loss  of  time.  A  trunk,  like  the  first  mentioned, 
will  save  many  steps,  and  often  much  time  and  per- 
plexity ;  while  by  purchasing  articles  thus  by  the  quan- 
tity, they  come  much  cheaper,  than  if  bought  in  little 
portions  as  they  are  wanted.  Such  a  trunk  should  be 
kept  locked,  and  a  smaller  supply,  for  current  use,  re- 
tained in  a  work-basket. 

A  full  supply  of  all  conveniences  in  the  kitchen  and 
cellar,  and  a  place  appointed  for  each  article,  very 
much  facilitates  domestic  labor.  For  want  of  this, 
much  vexation  and  loss  of  time  is  occasioned,  while 
seeking  vessels  in  use,  or  in  cleansing  those  employed 
by  different  persons,  for  various  purposes.  It  would  be 
far  better,  for  a  lady  to  give  up  some  expensive  article, 
in  the  parlor,  and  apply  the  money,  thus  saved,  for 
kitchen  conveniences,  than  to  have  a  stinted  supply, 
where  the  most  labor  is  to  be  performed.  If  our 
Countrywomen  would  devote  more  to  comfort  and 
convenience,  and  less  to  show,  it  would  be  a  great 
improvement.  Expensive  mirrors  and  pier-tables  in 
the  parlor,  and  an  unpainted,  gloomy,  ill-furnished 
kitchen,  not  unfrequently  are  found  under  the  same 
roof. 

Another  important  item,  in  systematic  economy,  is, 
the  apportioning  of  regular  employment  to  the  various 
members  of  a  family.  If  a  housekeeper  can  secure 
the  cooperation  of  all  her  family,  she  will  find,  that 
"  many  hands  make  light  work."  There  is  no  greater 
mistake,  than  in  bringing  up  children  to  feel  that  they 
must  be  taken  care  of,  and  waited  on,  by  others,  with- 
out any  corresponding  obligations  on  their  part.  The 
extent,  to  which  young  children  can  be  made  useful, 
in  a  family,  would  seem  surprising,  to  those  who  have 
never  seen  a  systematic  and  regular  plan  for  securing 


164  ON    HABITS    OF    SYSTEM    AND    ORDER. 

their  services.  The  writer  has  been  in  a  family,  where 
a  little  girl,  of  eight  or  nine  years  of  age,  washed  and 
dressed  herself  and  young  brother,  and  made  their 
small  beds,  before  breakfast,  set  and  cleared  all  the 
tables,  at  meals,  with  a  little  help  from  a  grown  person 
in  moving  tables  and  spreading  cloths,  while  all  the 
dusting  of  parlors  and  chambers  was  also  neatly  per- 
formed by  her.  A  brother,  of  ten  years  old,  brought 
in  and  piled  all  the  wood,  used  in  the  kitchen  and 
parlor,  brushed  the  boots  and  shoes,  neatly,  went  on 
errands,  and  took  all  the  care  of  the  poultry.  They 
were  children,  whose  parents  could  afford  to  hire  ser- 
vants to  do  this,  but  who  chose  to  have  their  children 
grow  up  healthy  and  industrious,  while  proper  instruc- 
tion, system,  and  encouragement,  made  these  services 
rather  a  pleasure,  than  otherwise,  to  the  children. 

Some  parents  pay  their  children  for  such  services ; 
but  this  is  hazardous,  as  tending  to  make  them  feel 
that  they  are  not  bound  to  be  helpful  without  pay, 
and  also  as  tending  to  produce  a  hoarding,  money- 
making  spirit.  But,  where  children  have  no  hoarding 
propensities,  and  need  to  acquire  a  sense  of  the  value 
of  property,  it  may  be  well  to  let  them  earn  money, 
for  some  extra  services,  rather  as  a  favor.  When  this 
is  done,  they  should  be  taught  to  spend  it  for  others, 
as  well  as  for  themselves ;  and  in  this  way,  a  generous 
and  liberal  spirit  will  be  cultivated. 

There  are  some  mothers,  who  take  pains  to  teach 
their  boys  most  of  the  domestic  arts,  which  their  sisters 
learn.  The  writer  has  seen  boys,  mending  their  own 
garments,  and  aiding  their  mother  or  sisters  in  the 
kitchen,  with  great  skill  and  adroitness  ;  and  at  an 
early  age,  they  usually  very  much  relish  joining  in  such 
occupations.  The  sons  of  such  mothers,  in  their  col- 
.ege  life,  or  in  roaming  about  the  world,  or  in  nursing 
a  sick  wife  or  infant,  find  occasion  to  bless  the  fore- 
thought and  kindness,  which  prepared  them  for  such 
emergencies.  Few  things  are  in  worse  taste,  than  for 
a  man  needlessly  to  busy  himself  in  women's  work' 


ON    HABITS    OF    SYSTEM    AND    ORDER.  165 

and  yet  a  man  never  appears  in  a  more  interesting 
attitude,  than  when,  by  skill  in  such  matters,  he  can 
save  a  mother  or  wife  from  care  and  suffering.  The 
more  a  boy  is  taught  to  use  his  hands,  in  every  variety 
of  domestic  employment,  the  more  his  faculties,  both 
of  mind  and  body,  are  developed  ;  for  mechanical  pur- 
suits exercise  the  intellect,  as  well  as  the  hands.  The 
early  training  of  New-England  boys,  in  which  they 
turn  their  hand  to  almost  every  thing,  is  one  great 
reason  of  the  quick  perceptions,  versatility  of  mind, 
and  mechanical  skill,  for  which  that  portion  of  our 
Countrymen  is  distinguished. 

The  writer  has  known  one  mode  of  systematizing 
the  aid  of  the  older  children  in  a  family,  which,  in 
some  cases  of  very  large  families,  it  may  be  well  to 
imitate.  In  the  case  referred  to,  when  the  oldest 
daughter  was  eight  or  nine  years  old,  an  infant  sister 
was  given  to  her,  as  her  special  charge.  She  tended 
it,  made  and  mended  its  clothes,  taught  it  to  read,  and 
was  its  nurse  and  guardian,  through  all  its  childhood. 
Another  infant  was  given  to  the  next  daughter,  and 
thus  the  children  were  all  paired  in  this  interesting 
relation.  In  addition  to  the  relief  thus  afforded  to  the 
mother,  the  elder  children  were  in  this  way  qualified 
for  their  future  domestic  relations,  and  both  older  and 
younger  bound  to  each  other  by  peculiar  ties  of  tender- 
ness and  gratitude. 

In  offering  these  examples,  of  various  modes  of  sys- 
tematizing, one  suggestion  may  be  worthy  of  attention. 
It  is  not  unfrequently  the  case,  that  ladies,  who  find 
themselves  cumbered  with  oppressive  cares,  after  read- 
ing remarks  on  the  benefits  of  system,  immediately 
commence  the  task  of  arranging  their  pursuits,  with 
great  vigor  and  hope.  They  divide  the  day  into  regu- 
lar periods,  and  give  each  hour  its  duty ;  they  system- 
atize their  work,  and  endeavor  to  bring  every  thing 
into  a  regular  routine.  But,  in  a  short  time,  they  find 
themselves  baffled,  discouraged,  and  disheartened,  and 
finally  relapse  into  their  former  desultory  ways,  in 


ON    HABITS    OF    SYSTEM    AND    ORDER. 

a  sort  of  resigned  despair.  The  difficulty,  in  such 
cases,  is,  that  they  attempt  too  much  at  a  time.  There 
is  nothing,  which  so  much  depends  upon  habit,  as  a 
systematic  mode  of  performing  duty ;  and,  where  no 
such  habit  has  been  formed,  it  is  impossible  for  a  nov- 
ice to  start,  at  once,  into  a  universal  mode  of  system- 
atizing, which  none  but  an  adept  could  carry  through. 
The  only  way  for  such  persons,  is,  to  begin  with  a  little 
at  a  time.  Let  them  select  some  three  or  four  things, 
and  resolutely  attempt  to  conquer  at  these  points.  In 
time,  a  habit  will  be  formed,  of  doing  a  few  things  at 
regular  periods,  and  in  a  systematic  way.  Then  it  will 
be  easy  to  add  a  few  more;  and  thus,  by  a  gradual 
process,  the  object  can  be  secured,  which  it  would  be 
vain  to  attempt,  by  a  more  summary  course.  Early 
rising  is  almost  an  indispensable  condition  to  success, 
in  such  an  effort ;  but,  where  a  woman  lacks  either  the 
health  or  the  energy  to  secure  a  period  for  devotional 
duties  before  breakfast,  let  her  select  that  hour  of  the 
day,  in  which  she  will  be  least  liable  to  interruption, 
and  let  her  then  seek  strength  and  wisdom  from  the 
only  true  Source.  At  this  time,  let  her  take  a  pen, 
and  make  a  list  of  all  the  things  which  she  considers 
as  duties.  Then,  let  a  calculation  be  made,  whether 
there  be  time  enough,  in  the  day  or  the  week,  for  all 
these  duties.  If  there  be  not,  let  the  least  important 
be  stricken  from  the  list,  as  not  being  duties,  and 
which  must  be  omitted.  In  doing  this,  let  a  woman 
remember,  that,  though  "  what  we  shall  eat,  and  what 
we  shall  drink,  and  wherewithal  we  shall  be  clothed," 
are  matters  requiring  due  attention,  they  are  very  apt 
to  obtain  a  wrong  relative  importance,  while  social,  in- 
tellectual, and  moral,  interests,  receive  too  little  regard. 
In  this  Country,  eating,  dressing,  and  household 
furniture  and  ornaments,  take  far  too  large  a  place  in 
the  estimate  of  relative  importance ;  and  it  is  probable, 
that  most  women  could  modify  their  views  and  prac- 
tice, so  as  to  come  nearer  to  the  Saviour's  require- 
ments. No  woman  has  a  right  to  put  a  stitch  of  orna 


ON    GIVING    IN    CHARITY.  167 

ment  on  any  article  of  dress  or  furniture,  or  to  provide 
one  superfluity  in  food,  until  she  is  sure  she  can  secure 
time  for  all  her  social,  intellectual,  benevolent,  and  re- 
ligious, duties.  If  a  woman  will  take  the  trouble  to 
make  such  a  calculation  as  this,  she  will  usually  find 
that  she  has  time  enough,  to  perform  all  her  duties 
easily  and  well. 

It  is  impossible,  for  a  conscientious  woman  to  secure 
that  peaceful  mind,  and  cheerful  enjoyment  of  life, 
which  all  should  seek,  who  is  constantly  finding  her 
duties  jarring  with  each  other,  and  much  remaining 
undone,  which  she  feels  that  she  ought  to  do.  In  con- 
sequence of  this,  there  will  be  a  secret  uneasiness, 
which  will  throw  a  shade  over  the  whole  current  of 
life,  never  to  be  removed,  till  she  so  efficiently  defines 
and  regulates  her  duties,  that  she  can  fulfil  them  all. 

And  here  the  writer  would  urge  upon  young  ladies, 
the  importance  of  forming  habits  of  system,  while  un- 
embarrassed with  those  multiplied  cares,  which  will 
make  the  task  so  much  more  difficult  and  hopeless. 
Every  young  lady  can  systematize  her  pursuits,  to  a 
certain  extent.  She  can  have  a  particular  day  for 
mending  her  wardrobe,  and  for  arranging  her  trunks, 
closets,  and  drawers.  She  can  keep  her  workbasket 
her  desk  at  school,  and  all  her  other  conveniences,  in 
their  proper  places,  and  in  regular  order.  She  can 
have  regular  periods  for  reading,  walking,  visiting, 
study,  and  domestic  pursuits.  And,  by  following  this 
method,  in  youth,  she  will  form  a  taste  for  regularity, 
and  a  habit  of  system,  which  will  prove  a  blessing  to 
her,  through  life. 


CHAPTER   XV. 

ON    GIVING    IN    CHARITY. 


IT  is  probable,  that  there  is  no  point  of  duty,  where 
conscientious  persons  differ  more  in  opinion,  or  where 
they  find  it  more  difficult  to  form  discriminating  and 


168  ON    GIVING    IN    CHARITY. 

decided  views,  than  on  the  matter  of  charity.  That 
we  are  bound  to  give  some  of  our  time,  money,  and 
efforts,  to  relieve  the  destitute,  all  allow.  But,  as  to 
how  much  we  are  to  give,  and  on  whom  our  charities 
shall  be  bestowed,  many  a  reflecting  mind  has  been  at 
a  loss.  Yet  it  seems  very  desirable,  that,  in  reference 
to  a  duty  so  constantly  and  so  strenuously  urged  by  the 
Supreme  Ruler,  we  should  be  able  so  to  fix  metes  and 
bounds,  as  to  keep  a  conscience  void  of  offence,  and  to 
free  the  mind  from  disquieting  fears  of  deficiency. 

The  writer  has  found  no  other  topic  of  investigation 
so  beset  with  difficulty,  and  so  absolutely  without  the 
range  of  definite  rules,  which  can  apply  to  all,  in  all 
circumstances.  But  on  this,  as  on  a  previous  topic, 
there  seem  to  be  general  principles,  by  the  aid  of  which, 
any  candid  mind,  sincerely  desirous  of  obeying  the 
commands  of  Christ,  however  much  self-denial  may  be 
involved,  can  arrive  at  definite  conclusions,  as  to  its 
own  individual  obligations,  so  that,  when  these  are 
fulfilled,  the  mind  may  be  at  peace. 

But,  for  a  mind  that  is  worldly,  living  mainly  to  seek 
its  own  pleasures,  instead  of  living  to  please  God,  no 
principles  can  be  so  fixed,  as  not  to  leave  a  ready 
escape  from  all  obligation.     Such  minds,  either  by  in 
dolence   (and  consequent  ignorance)  or  by  sophistry, 
will  convince  themselves,  that  a  life  of  engrossing  self- 
indulgence,  with  perhaps  the  gift  of  a  few  dollars,  and 
a  few  hours  of  time,  may  suffice,  to  fulfil  the  requi 
sitions  of  the  Eternal  Judge. 

For  such  minds,  no  reasonings  will  avail,  till  the 
heart  is  so  changed,  that,  to  learn  the  will  and  follow 
the  example  of  Jesus  Christ,  become  the  leading  objects 
of  interest  and  effort.  It  is  to  aid  those,  who  profess 
to  possess  this  temper  of  mind,  that  the  following  sug 
gestions  are  offered. 

The  first  consideration,  which  gives  definiteness  to 
this  subject,  is,  a  correct  view  of  the  object  for  which 
we  are  placed  in  this  world.  A  great  many  even  of 
professed  Christians,  seem  to  be  acting  on  the  suppo- 
sition,  that  the  object  of  life  is  to  secure  as  much  as 


ON    GIVING    IN    CHARITY.  169 

possible  of  all  the  various  enjoyments  placed  within 
reach.  Not  so,  teaches  reason  or  revelation.  From 
these,  we  learn,  that,  though  the  happiness  of  His  crea- 
tures, is  the  end  for  which  God  created  and  sustains 
them,  yet,  that  this  happiness  depends,  not  on  the 
various  modes  of  gratification  put  within  our  reach,  but 
mainly  on  character.  A  man  may  possess  all  the  re- 
sources for  enjoyment  which  this  world  can  afford,  and 
yet  feel  that  "  all  is  vanity  and  vexation  of  spirit,3'  and 
that  he  is  supremely  wretched.  Another,  may  be  in 
want  of  all  things,  and  yet  possess  that  living  spring  of 
benevolence,  faith,  and  hope,  which  will  make  an  Eden 
of  the  darkest  prison. 

In  order  to  be  perfectly  happy,  man  must  attain  that 
character,  which  Christ  exhibited ;  and  the  nearer  he  ap- 
proaches it,  the  more  will  happiness  reign  in  his  breast. 

But  what  was  the  grand  peculiarity  of  the  character 
of  Christ  ?  .  It  was  self-denying  benevolence.  He  came 
not  to  "  seek  His  own ;"  He  "  went  about  doing  good," 
and  this  was  His  "  meat  and  drink ;"  that  is,  it  was  this 
which  sustained  the  health  and  life  of  His  mind,  as  food 
and  drink  sustain  the  health  and  life  of  the  body.  Now, 
the  mind  of  man  is  so  made,  that  it  can  gradually  be 
transformed  into  the  same  likeness.  A  selfish  being, 
who,  for  a  whole  life,  has  been  nourishing  habits  of  in- 
dolent self-indulgence,  can,  by  taking  Christ  as  his  ex- 
ample, by  communion  with  Him,  and  by  daily  striving 
to  imitate  His  character  and  conduct,  form  such  a 
temper  of  mind,  that  "doing  good"  will  become  the 
chief  and  highest  source  of  enjoyment.  And  this 
heavenly  principle  will  grow  stronger  and  stronger, 
until  self-denial  loses  the  more  painful  part  of  its  char- 
acter, and  then,  living  to  make  happiness,  will  be  so 
delightful  and  absorbing  a  pursuit,  that  all  exertions} 
regarded  as  the  means  to  this  end,  will  be  like  the  joy- 
ous efforts  of  men,  when  they  strive  for  a  prize  or  a 
crown,  with  the  full  hope  of  success. 

In  this  view  of  the  subject,  efforts  and  self-denial,  for 
the  good  of  others,  are  to  be  regarded,  not  merely  as 

15  •       D.  E 


170  ON    GIVING    IN    CHARITY. 

duties  enjoined  for  the  benefit  of  others,  but  as  the 
moral  training  indispensable  to  the  formation  of  that 
character,  on  which  depends  our  own  happiness.  This 
view,  exhibits  the  full  meaning  of  the  Saviour's  declara- 
tion, "  how  hardly  shall  they  that  have  riches  enter  into 
the  kingdom  of  God ! "  He  had  before  taught,  that 
the  kingdom  of  Heaven  consisted,  not  in  such  enjoy- 
ments as  the  worldly  seek,  but,  in  the  temper  of  self- 
denying  benevolence,  like  His  own ;  and,  as  the  rich 
have  far  greater  temptations  to  indolent  self-indulgence, 
they  are  far  less  likely  to  acquire  this  temper,  than 
those,  who,  by  limited  means,  are  inured  to  some  de- 
gree of  self-denial. 

But,  on  this  point,  one  important  distinction  needs 
to  be  made ;  and  that  is,  between  the  self-denial,  which 
has  no  other  aim  than  mere  self-mortification,  and  that 
which  is  exercised  to  secure  greater  good  to  ourselves 
and  others.  The  first  is  the  foundation  of  monasticism, 
penances,  and  all  other  forms  of  asceticism ;  the  latter, 
only,  is  that  which  Christianity  requires. 

A  second  consideration,  which  may  give  definiteness 
to  this  subject,  is,  that  the  formation  of  a  perfect  char- 
acter, involves,  not  the  extermination  of  any  principles 
of  our  nature,  but  rather  the  regulating  of  them,  ac- 
cording to  the  rules  of  reason  and  religion ;  so  that  the 
lower  propensities  shall  always  be  kept  subordinate  to 
nobler  principles.  Thus,  we  are  not  to  aim  at  destroy- 
ing our  appetites,  or  at  needlessly  denying  them,  but 
rather  so  to  regulate  them,  that  they  shall  best  secure 
the  objects  for  which  they  were  implanted.  We  are 
not  to  annihilate  the  love  of  praise  and  admiration  ;  but 
so  to  control  it,  that  the  favor  of  God  shall  be  regarded 
more  than  the  ^estimation  of  men.  We  are  not  to  ex- 
tirpate the  principle  of  curiosity,  which  leads  us  to 
acquire  knowledge ;  but  so  to  direct  it,  that  all  our  ac 
quisitions  shall  be  useful  and  not  frivolous  or  injurious. 
And  thus,  with  all  the  principles  of  the  mind,  God  has 
implanted  no  desires  in  our  constitution,  which  are  evil 
and  pernicious.  On  the  contrary,  all  our  constitutional 


ON    GIVING    IN    CHARITY.  171 

propensities,  either  of  mind  or  body,  He  designed  we 
should  gratify,  whenever  no  evils  would  thence  result, 
either  to  ourselves  or  others.  Such  passions  as  envy 
ambition,  pride,  revenge,  and  hatred,  are  to  be  extermi- 
nated ;  for  they  are  either  excesses  or  excrescences  • 
not  created  by  God,  but  rather  the  result  of  our  own 
neglect  to  form  habits  of  benevolence  and  self-control. 

In  deciding  the  rules  of  our  conduct,  therefore,  we 
are  ever  to  bear  in  mixid,  that  the  developement  of  the 
nobler  principles,  and  the  subjugation  of  inferior  pro- 
pensities to  them,  is  to  be  the  main  object  of  effort, 
both  for  ourselves  and  for  others.  And,  in  conformity 
with  this,  in  all  our  plans,  we  are  to  place  religious  and 
moral  interests  as  first  in  estimation,  our  social  and  in- 
tellectual interests,  next,  and  our  physical  gratifications, 
as  subordinate  to  all. 

A  third  consideration,  is,  that,  though  the  means  for 
sustaining  life  and  health  are  to  be  regarded  as  necessa- 
ries, without  which  no  other  duties  can  be  performed, 
yet,  that  a  very  large  portion  of  the  time,  spent  by 
most  persons,  in  easy  circumstances,  for  food,  raiment, 
and  dwellings,  are  for  mere  superfluities,  which  are 
right,  when  they  do  not  involve  the  sacrifice  of  higher  in- 
terests, and  ivrong,  when  they  do.  Life  and  health  can 
be  sustained  in  the  humblest  dwellings,  with  the  plain- 
est dress,  and  the  simplest  food ;  and,  after  taking  from 
our  means,  what  is  necessary  for  life  and  health,  the 
remainder  is  to  be  so  divided,  that  the  larger  portion 
shall  be  given  to  supply  the  moral  and  intellectual 
wants  of  ourseJves  and  others,  and  the  smaller  share  to 
procure  those  additional  gratifications,  of  taste  and  • 
appetite,  which  are  desirable,  but  not  indispensable. 
Mankind,  thus  -far,  have  never  made  this  apportionment 
of  their  means :  yet,  just  as  fast  as  they  have  risen  from 
a  savage  state,  mere  physical  wants  have  been  made, 
to  an  increasing  extent,  subordinate  to  higher  objects. 

Another  very  important  consideration,  is,  that,  in 
urging  the  duty  of  charity,  and  the  prior  claims  of 
moral  and  religious  objects,  no  rule  of  duty  should  be 


172  ON    GIVING    IN    CHAR1TF. 

maintained,  which  it  would  not  be  right  and  wise  foi 
all  to  follow.  And  we  are  to  test  the  wisdom  of  any 
general  rule,  by  inquiring  what  would  be  the  result,  if 
all  mankind  should  practise  according  to  it.  In  view 
of  this,  we  are  enabled  to  judge  of  the  correctness  of 
those,  who  maintain,  that,  to  be  consistent,  men  believ- 
ing in  the  eternal  destruction  of  all  those  of  our  race 
who  are  not  brought  under  the  influence  of  the  Chris- 
tian system,  should  give  up,  not  merely  the  elegances, 
but  all  the  superfluities,  of  life,  and  devote  the  whole 
of  their  means,  not  indispensable  to  life  and  health,  for 
the  propagation  of  Christianity.  But,  if  this  is  the  duty 
of  any,  it  is  the  duty  of  all ;  and  we  are  to  inquire  what 
would  be  the  result,  if  all  conscientious  persons  gave  up 
the  use  of  all  superfluities.  Suppose,  that  two  millions 
of  the  people  in  the  United  States,  were  conscientious 
persons,  and  relinquished  the  use  of  every  thing  not 
absolutely  necessary  to  life  and  health.  It  would  in- 
stantly throw  out  of  employment  one  half  of  the  whole 
community.  The  manufacturers,  mechanics,  merchants, 
agriculturists,  and  all  the  agencies  they  employ,  would 
be  beggared,  and  one  half  of  those  not  reduced  to 
poverty,  would  be  obliged  to  spend  all  their  extra 
means,  in  simply  supplying  necessaries  to  the  other 
half.  The  use  of  superfluities,  therefore,  to  a  certain 
extent,  is  as  indispensable  to  promote  industry,  virtue, 
and  religion,  as  any  direct  giving  of  money  or  time ; 
and  it  is  owing  entirely  to  a  want  of  reflection,  and  of 
comprehensive  views,  that  any  men  ever  make  so  great 
a  mistake,  as  is  here  exhibited. 

Instead,  then,  of  urging  a  rule  of  duty  which  is  at 
once  irrational  and  impracticable,  there  is  another 
course,  which  commends  itself  to  the  understandings 
of  all.  For  whatever  may  be  the  practice,  of  intelligent 
men,  they  universally  concede  the  principle,  that  our 
physical  gratifications  should  always  be  made  subordi- 
nate to  social,  intellectual,  and  moral,  advantages.  And 
all  that  is  required,  for  the  advancement  of  our  whole 
race  to  the  most  perfect  state  of  society,  is,  simply,  that 


ON    GH  ING    IN    CHARITY.  173 

mon  should  act  in  agreement  with  this  principle.  And, 
if  only  a  very  small  portion,  of  the  most  intelligent  of 
our  race,  should  act  according  to  this  rule,  under  the 
control  of  Christian  benevolence,  the  immense  supplies, 
furnished,  for  the  general  good,  would  be  far  beyond 
what  any  would  imagine,  who  had  never  made  any 
calculations  on  the  subject.  In  this  Nation,  alone,  sup- 
pose the  one  million  and  more,  of  professed  followers 
of  Christ,  should  give  a  larger  portion  of  their  means, 
for  the  social,  intellectual,  and  moral,  wants  of  man- 
kind, than  for  the  superfluities  that  minister  to  taste, 
convenience,  and  appetite  ;  it  would  be  enough  to  fur- 
nish all  the  schools,  colleges,  Bibles,  ministers,  and  mis- 
sionaries, that  the  whole  world  could  demand ;  or,  at 
least,  it  would  be  far  more,  than  properly  qualified 
agents  to  administer  it,  could  employ. 

But,  it  may  be  objected,  that,  though  this  view  is 
one,  which,  in  the  abstract,  looks  plausible  and  rational, 
not  one  in  a  thousand,  can  practically  adopt  it.  How 
few  keep  any  account,  at  all,  of  their  current  expenses  ! 
How  impossible  it  is,  to  determine,  exactly,  what  are 
necessaries,  and  what  are  superfluities  !  And  in  regard 
to  women,  how  few  have  the  control  of  an  income,  so 
as  not  to  be  bound  by  the  wishes  of  a  parent  or  a 
husband ! 

In  reference  to  these  difficulties,  the  first  remark  is, 
that  we  are  never  under  obligations  to  do,  what  is  en- 
tirely out  of  our  power,  so  that  those  persons,  who  have 
no  power  to  regulate  their  expenses  or  their  charities, 
are  under  no  sort  of  obligation  to  attempt  it.  The 
second  remark  is,  that,  when  a  rule  of  duty  is  discov- 
ered, we  are  bound  to  aim  at  it,  and  to  fulfil  it,  just  so 
far  as  we  can.  We  have  no  right  to  throw  it  aside, 
because  we  shall  find  some  difficult  cases,  when  we 
come  to  apply  it.  The  third  remark  is,  that  no  person 
can  tell  how  much  can  be  done,  till  a  faithful  trial  has 
been  made.  If  a  woman  has  never  kept  any  accounts, 
nor  attempted  to  regulate  her  expenditures  by  the  right 
rule,  nor  used  her  influence  with  those  that  control  hei 
15*  D.  E. 


174  ON    GIVING    IN    CHARITY. 

plans,  to  secure  this  object,  she  has  no  right  to  say  ho\f 
much  she  can,  or  cannot,  do,  till  after  a  fair  trial  has 
been  made. 

In  attempting  such  a  trial,  the  following  method  can 
be  taken.  Let  a  woman  keep  an  account  of  all  she 
spends,  for  herself  and  her  family,  for  a  year,  arranging 
the  items  under  three  general  heads.  Under  the  first, 
put  all  articles  for  food,  raiment,  rent,  wages,  and  all 
conveniences.  Under  the  second,  place  all  sums  paid 
in  securing  an  education,  and  books,  and  other  intellec- 
tual advantages.  Under  the  third  head,  place  all  that 
is  spent  for  benevolence  and  religion.  At  the  end  of 
the  year,  the  first  and  largest  account  will  show  the 
mixed  items  of  necessaries  and  superfluities,  which  can 
be  arranged,  so  as  to  gain  some  sort  of  idea  how  much 
has  been  spent  for  superfluities,  and  how  much  for  ne- 
cessaries. Then,  by  comparing  what  is  spent  for  super- 
fluities, with  what  is  spent  for  intellectual  and  moral 
advantages,  data  will  be  gained,  for  judging  of  the  past, 
and  regulating  the  future. 

Does  a  woman  say  she  cannot  do  this  ?  let  her  in- 
quire, whether  the  offer  of  a  thousand  dollars,  as  a 
reward  for  attempting  it  one  year,  would  not  make  her 
undertake  to  do  it;  and,  if  so,  let  her  decide,  in  her 
own  mind,  which  is  most  valuable,  a  clear  conscience, 
and  the  approbation  of  God,  in  this  effort  to  do  His 
will,  or  one  thousand  dollars.  And  let  her  do  it,  with 
this  warning  of  the  Saviour  before  her  eyes, — "  No 
man  can  serve  two  masters."  "  Ye  cannot  serve  God 
and  Mammon." 

Is  it  objected,  How  can  we  decide  between  superflui- 
ties and  necessaries,  in  this  list?  it  is  replied,  that  we 
are  not  required  to  judge  exactly,  in  all  cases.  Our 
duty  is,  to  use  the  means  in  our  power  to  assist  us  in 
forming  a  correct  judgement ;  to  seek  the  Divine  aid  in 
freeing  our  minds  from  indolence  and  selfishness  ;  and 
then  to  judge,  as  well  as  we  can,  in  our  endeavors 
rightly  to  apportion  and  regulate  our  expenses.  Many 
persons  seem  to  feel  that  they  are  bound  to  do  bette* 


ON    GIVING    IN    CHAR1T5T.  175 

than  they  know  how.  But  God  is  not  so  hard  a  Mas* 
ter ;  and,  after  we  have  used  all  proper  means  to  learn 
the  right  way,  if  we  then  follow  it,  according  to  oui 
ability,  we  do  wrong  to  feel  misgivings,  or  to  blame  our- 
selves, if  results  come  out  differently  from  what  seems 
desirable.  The  results  of  our  actions,  alone,  can  never 
prove  us  deserving  of  blame.  For  men  are  often  so 
placed,  that,  owing  to  lack  of  intellect  or  means,  it  is 
impossible  for  them  to  decide  correctly.  To  use  all  the 
means  of  knowledge  within  our  reach,  and  then  to 
judge,  with  a  candid  and  conscientious  spirit,  is  all  that 
God  requires ;  and,  when  we  have  done  this,  and  the 
event  seems  to  come  out  wrong,  we  should  never  wish 
that  we  had  decided  otherwise.  For  it  is  the  same  as 
wishing  that  we  had  not  followed  the  dictates  of  judge- 
ment and  conscience.  As  this  is  a  world  designed  for 
discipline  and  trial,  untoward  events  are  never  to  be 
construed  as  indications  of  the  obliquity  of  our  past 
decisions. 

But  it  is  probable,  that  a  great  portion  of  the  women 
of  this  Nation,  cannot  secure  any  such  systematic  mode 
of  regulating  their  expenses.  To  such,  the  writer 
would  propose  one  inquiry ;  cannot  you  calculate  how 
much  time  and  money  you  spend  for  what  is  merely  or- 
namental, and  not  necessary,  for  yourself,  your  children, 
and  your  house  ?  Cannot  you  compare  this  with  the 
time  and  money  you  spend  for  intellectual  and  benevo- 
lent purposes  ?  and  will  not  this  show  the  need  of  some 
change  ?  In  making  this  examination,  is  not  this  brief 
rule,  deducible  from  the  principles  before  laid  down, 
the  one  which  should  regulate  you?  Every  person 
does  right,  in  spending  some  portion  of  time  and  means 
in  securing  the  conveniences  and  adornments  of  taste  ; 
but  the  amount  should  never  exceed  what  is  spent  in 
securing  our  own  moral  and  intellectual  improvement, 
nor  exceed  what  is  spent  in  benevolent  efforts  to  supply 
the  physical  and  moral  wants  of  our  fellow-men. 

In  making  an  examination  on  this  subject,  it  is  some- 
times the  case,  that  a  woman  will  count  among  the 


176  ON    GIVING    IN    CHARITY. 

necessaries  of  life,  all  the  various  modes  of  adorning  "ihe 
person  or  house,  practised  in  the  circle  in  which  she 
moves ;  and,  after  enumerating  the  many  duties  which 
demand  attention,  counting  these  as  a  part,  she  will 
come  to  the  conclusion,  that  she  has  no  time,  and  but 
little  money,  to  devote  to  personal  improvement,  or  to 
benevolent  enterprises.  This  surely  is  not  in  agreement 
with  the  requirements  of  the  Saviour,  who  calls  on  us 
to  seek  for  others,  as  well  as  ourselves,  first  of  all,  "  the 
kingdom  of  God,  and  His  righteousness." 

In  order  to  act  in  accordance  with  the  rule  here  pre- 
sented, it  is  true,  that  many  would  be  obliged  to  give 
up  the  idea  of  conforming  to  the  notions  and  customs 
of  those,  with  whom  they  associate,  and  compelled  to 
adopt  the  maxim,  "  be  not  conformed  to  this  world.'7 
In  many  cases,  it  would  involve  an  entire  change  in  the 
style  of  living.  And  the  writer  has  the  happiness  of 
knowing  more  cases  than  one,  where  persons,  who  have 
come  to  similar  views,  on  this  subject,  have  given  up 
large  and  expensive  establishments,  disposed  of  their 
carriages,  dismissed  a  portion  of  their  domestics,  and 
modified  all  their  expenditures,  that  they  might  keep  a 
pure  conscience,  and  regulate  their  charities  more  ac- 
cording to  the  requirements  of  Christianity.  And  there 
are  persons,  well  known  in  the  religious  world,  who 
save  themselves  all  labor  of  minute  calculation,  by  de- 
voting so  large  a  portion  of  their  time  and  means  to 
benevolent  objects,  that  they  find  no  difficulty  in  know- 
ing that  they  give  more  for  religious,  benevolent,  and 
intellectual,  purposes,  than  for  superfluities. 

In  deciding  what  particular  objects  shall  receive  our 
benefactions,  there  are  also  general  principles  to  guide 
us.  The  first,  is  that  presented  by  our  Saviour,  when, 
after  urging  the  great  law  of  benevolence,  He  was 
asked,  "  and  who  is  my  neighbor  ?  "  His  reply,  in  the 
parable  of  '  the  Good  Samaritan,'  teaches  us,  that  any 
human  being,  whose  wants  are  brought  to  our  knowl- 
edge, is  our  neighbor.  The  wounded  man  was  not 
only  a  stranger,  but  he  belonged  to  a  foreign  nation, 


ON    GIVING    IN    CHARITY.  177 

peculiarly  hated ;  and  he  had  no  claim,  except  that  his 
wants  were  brought  to  the  knowledge  of  the  wayfaring 
man.  From  this,  we  learn,  that  the  destitute,  of  all 
nations,  become  our  neighbors,  as  soon  as  their  wants 
are  brought  to  our  knowledge. 

Another  general  principle,  is  this,  that  those  who  are 
most  in  need,  must  be  relieved,  in  preference  to  those 
who  are  less  destitute.  On  this  principle,  it  is,  that  we 
think  the  followers  of  Christ  should  give  more  to  supply 
those  who  are  suffering  for  want  of  the  bread  of  eter- 
nal life,  than  for  those  who  are  deprived  of  physical 
enjoyments.  And  another  reason  for  this  preference, 
is.  the  fact,  that  many,  who  give  in  charity,  have  made 
such  imperfect  advances  in  civilization  and  Christianity 
that  the  intellectual  and  moral  wants  of  our  race  make 
but  a  feeble  impression  on  the  mind.  Relate  a  pitiful 
tale  of  a  family,  reduced  to  live,  for  weeks,  on  potatoes, 
only,  and  many  a  mind  would  awake  to  deep  sympathy, 
and  stretch  forth  the  hand  of  charity.  But  describe 
cases,  where  the  immortal  mind  is  pining  in  stupidity 
and  ignorance,  or  racked  with  the  fever  of  baleful  pas- 
sions, and  how  small  the  number,  so  elevated  in  senti 
ment,  and  so  enlarged  in  their  views,  as  to  appreciate 
and  sympathize  in  these  far  greater  misfortunes  !  The 
intellectual  and  moral  wants  of  our  fellow-men,  there- 
fore, should  claim  the  first  place  in  our  attention,  both 
because  they  are  most  important,  and  because  they  are 
most  neglected. 

Another  consideration,  to  be  borne  in  mind,  is,  that, 
in  this  Country,  there  is  much  less  real  need  of  charity, 
in  supplying  physical  necessities,  than  is  generally  sup- 
posed, by  those  who  have  not  learned  the  more  excel- 
lent way.  This  Land  is  so  abundant  in  supplies,  and 
labor  is  in  such  demand,  that  every  healthy  person  can 
earn  a  comfortable  support.  And  if  all  the  poor  were 
instantly  made  virtuous,  it  is  probable  that  there  would 
be  no  physical  wants,  which  could  not  readily  be  sup- 
plied by  the  immediate  friends  of  each  sufferer.  The 
sick,  the  aged,  and  the  orphan,  would  be  the  only  ob- 


178  ON    GIVING    IN    CHARITY. 

jects  of  charity.  In  this  view  of  the  case,  the  primary 
effort,  in  relieving  the  poor,  should  be,  to  furnish  them 
the  means  of  earning  their  own  support,  and  to  supply 
them  with  those  moral  influences,  which  are  most  ef- 
fectual in  securing  virtue  and  industry. 

Another  point  to  be  attended  to,  is,  the  importance 
of  maintaining  a  system  of  associated  charities.  There 
is  no  point,  in  which  the  economy  of  charity  has  more 
improved,  than  in  the  present  mode  of  combining  many 
small  contributions,  for  sustaining  enlarged  and  system- 
atic plans  of  charity.  If  all  the  half-dollars,  which  are 
now  contributed  to  aid  in  organized  systems  of  charity, 
were  returned  to  the  donors,  to  be  applied  by  the  agency 
and  discretion  of  each,  thousands  and  thousands  of  the 
treasures,  now  employed  to  promote  the  moral  and  in- 
tellectual wants  of  mankind,  would  become  entirely 
useless.  In  a  democracy,  like  ours,  where  few  are  very 
rich,  and  the  majority  are  in  comfortable  circumstances, 
this  collecting  and  dispensing  of  drops  and  rills,  is  the 
mode,  by  which,  in  imitation  of  Nature,  the  dews  and 
showers  are  to  distil  on  parched  and  desert  lands.  And 
every  person,  while  earning  a  pittance  to  unite  with 
many  more,  may  be  cheered  with  the  consciousness  of 
sustaining  a  grand  system  of  operations,  which  must 
have  the  most  decided  influence,  in  raising  all  mankind 
to  that  perfect  state  of  society,  which  Christianity  is 
designed  to  secure. 

Another  consideration,  relates  to  the  indiscriminate 
bestowal  of  charity.  Persons,  who  have  taken  pains  to 
inform  themselves,  and  who  devote  their  whole  time  to 
dispensing  charities,  unite  in  declaring,  that  this  is  one 
of  the  most  fruitful  sources  of  indolence,  vice,  and 
poverty.  From  several  of  these,  the  writer  has  learned, 
that,  by  their  own  personal  investigations,  they  have  as- 
certained, that  there  are  large  establishments  of  idle  and 
wicked  persons,  in  most  of  our  cities,  who  associate 
togetheij  to  support  themselves  by  every  species  of  im- 
position. They  hire  large  houses,  and  live  in  constant 
rioting,  on  the  means  thus  obtained.  Among  them,  are 


ON    GIVING    IN    CHARITY.  179 

women  who  have,  or  who  hire  the  use  of,  infant  chil- 
dren ;  others,  who  are  blind,  or  maimed,  or  deformed, 
or  who  can  adroitly  feign  such  infirmities,  and,  by  these 
means  of  exciting  pity,  and  by  artful  tales  of  wo,  they 
collect  alms,  both  in  city  and  country,  to  spend  in  all 
manner  of  gross  and  guilty  indulgences.  Meantime, 
many  persons,  finding  themselves  often  duped  by  im- 
postors, refuse  to  give  at  all ;  and  thus  many  benefac- 
tions are  withdrawn,  which  a  wise  economy  in  charity 
would  have  secured.  For  this,  and  other  reasons,  it  is 
wise  and  merciful,  to  adopt  the  general  rule,  never  to 
give  alms,  till  we  have  had  some  opportunity  of  knowing 
how  they  will  be  spent.  There  are  exceptions  to  this, 
as  to  every  general  rule,  which  a  person  of  discretion 
can  determine.  But  the  practice,  so  common  among 
benevolent  persons,  of  giving,  at  least  a  trifle,  to  all  who 
ask,  lest,  perchance,  they  may  turn  away  some,  who  are 
really  sufferers,  is  one,  which  causes  more  sin  and  mis- 
ery than  it  cures. 

The  writer  has  never  known  any  system  for  dis- 
*>ensing  charity,  so  successful,  as  the  one  which,  in 
<iany  places,  has  been  adopted  in  connection  with  the 
Distribution  of  tracts.  By  this  method,  a  town  or  city 
A  divided  into  districts  ;  and  each  district  is  committed 
••o  the  care  of  two  ladies,  whose  duty  it  is,  to  call  on 
each  family  and  leave  a  tract,  and  make  that  the  occa- 
sion for  entering  into  conversation,  and  learning  the 
situation  of  all  residents  in  the  district.  By  this 
method,  the  ignorant,  the  vicious,  and  the  poor,  are 
discovered,  and  their  physical,  intellectual,  and  moral, 
wants,  are  investigated.  In  some  places,  where  thf 
writer  has  resided  or  visited,  each  person  retained  the 
•same  district,  year  after  year,  so  that  every  poor  family 
in  the  place  was  under  the  watch  and  care  of  some  in- 
telligent and  benevolent  lady,  who  used  all  her  influence 
to  secure  a  proper  education  for  the  children,  to  furnish 
them  with  suitable  reading,  to  encourage  habits  of  in- 
dustry and  economy,  and  to  secure  regular  attendance 
on  public  religious  instruction.  Thus,  the  rich  and  the 


180  ON    ECONOMY    OF    TIME. 

poor  were  brought  in  contact,  in  a  way  advantageous 
to  both  parties ;  and,  if  such  a  system  could  be  unh  er- 
sally  adopted,  more  would  be  done  for  the  prevention 
of  poverty  and  vice,  than  all  the  wealth  of  the  Nation 
could  avail  for  their  relief.  But  this  plan  cannot  be 
successfully  carried  out,  in  this  manner,  unless  there  is 
a  large  proportion  of  intelligent,  benevolent,  and  self- 
denying,  persons ;  and  the  mere  distribution  of  tracts, 
without  the  other  parts  of  the  plan,  is  of  very  little 
avail. 

But  there  is  one  species  of  charity,  which  needs 
especial  consideration.  It  is  that,  which  induces  us 
to  refrain  from  judging  of  the  means  and  the  relative 
charities  of  other  persons.  There  have  been  such  in- 
distinct notions,  and  so  many  different  standards  of 
duty,  on  this  subject,  that  it  is  rare  for  two  persons  to 
think  exactly  alike,  in  regard  to  the  rule  of  duty.  Each 
person  is  bound  to  inquire  and  judge  for  himself,  as  to 
his  own  duty  or  deficiencies ;  but  as  both  the  resources, 
and  the  amount  of  the  actual  charities,  of  other  men 
are  beyond  our  ken,  it  is  as  indecorous,  as  it  is  unchari- 
table, to  sit  in  judgement  on  their  decisions. 


CHAPTER   XVI. 

ON  ECONOMY  OF  TIME  AND  EXPENSES. 

On  Economy  of  Time. 

THE  value  of  time,  and  our  obligation  to  spend 
every  hour  for  some  useful  end,  are  what  few  minds 
properly  realize.  And  those,  who  have  the  highest 
sense  of  their  obligations  in  this  respect,  sometimes 
greatly  misjudge  in  their  estimate  of  what  are  useful 
and  proper  modes  of  employing  time.  This  arises  from 
limited  views  of  the  importance  of  some  pursuits,  which 
they  would  deem  frivolous  and  useless,  but  which  are 


ON    ECONOMY    OF    TIME.  181 

in  reality,  necessary  to  preserve  the  health  of  body  and 
mind,  and  those  social  affections,  which  it  is  very  im- 
portant to  cherish.  Christianity  teaches,  that,  for  all 
the  time  afforded  us,  we  must  give  account  to  God; 
and  that  we  have  no  right  to  waste  a  single  hour.  But 
time,  which  is  spent  in  rest  or  amusement,  is  often  as 
usefully  employed,  as  if  it  were  devoted  to  labor  or  de- 
votion. In  employing  our  time,  we  are  to  make  suita- 
ble allowance  for  sleep,  for  preparing  and  taking  food, 
for  securing  the  means  of  a  livelihood,  for  intellectual 
improvement,  for  exercise  and  amusement,  for  social 
enjoyments,  and  for  benevolent  and  religious  duties. 
And  it  is  the  right  apportionment  of  time,  to  these 
various  duties,  which  constitutes  its  true  economy. 

In  making  this  apportionment,  we  are  bound  by  the 
same  rules,  as  relate  to  the  use  of  property.  We  are 
to  employ  whatever  portion  is  necessary  to  sustain  life 
and  health,  as  the  first  duty ;  and  the  remainder  we  are 
so  to  apportion,  that  our  highest  interests,  shall  receive 
the  greatest  allotment,  and  our  physical  gratifications, 
the  least. 

The  laws  of  the  Supreme  Ruler,  when  He  became 
the  civil  as  well  as  the  religious  Head  of  the  Jewish 
theocracy,  furnish  an  example,  which  it  would  be  well 
for  all  attentively  to  consider,  when  forming  plans  for 
the  apportionment  of  time  and  property.  To  properly 
estimate  this  example,  it  must  be  borne  in  mind,  that 
the  main  object  of  God,  was,  to  preserve  His  religion 
among  the  Jewish  nation ;  and  that  they  were  not  re- 
quired to  take  any  means  to  propagate  it  among  other 
nations,  as  Christians  are  now  required  to  extend  Chris- 
tianity. So  low  were  they,  in  the  scale  of  civilization 
and  mental  developement,  tha,  a  system,  which  con- 
fined them  to  one  spot,  as  an  agricultural  people,  and 
prevented  their  growing  very  rich,  or  having  extensive 
commerce  with  other  nations,  was  indispensable  to  pre- 
vent their  relapsing  into  the  low  idolatries  and  vices  of 
the  nations  around  them. 

The  proportion  of  time  and  property,  which  every 
16  D  E. 


182  ON    ECONOMY    OF    TIME. 

Jew  was  required  to  devote  to  intellectual,  benevolent 
and  religious  purposes,  was  as  follows : 

In  regard  to  property,  they  were  required  to  give 
one  tenth  of  all  their  yearly  income,  to  support  the 
Levites,  the  priests,  and  the  religious  service.  Next, 
they  were  required  to  give  the  first  fruits  of  all  their 
corn,  wine,  oil,  and  fruits,  and  the  first-born  of  all  their 
cattle,  for  the  Lord's  treasury,  to  be  employed  for  the 
priests,  the  widow,  the  fatherless,  and  the  stranger. 
The  first-born,  also,  of  their  children,  were  the  Lord's, 
and  were  to  be  redeemed  by  a  specified  sum,  paid  into 
the  sacred  treasury.  Besides  this,  they  were  required 
to  bring  a  freewill  offering  to  God,  every  time  they 
went  up  to  the  three  great  yearly  festivals.  In  addition 
to  this,  regular  yearly  sacrifices,  of  cattle  and  fowls, 
were  required  of  each  family,  and  occasional  sacrifices 
for  certain  sins  or  ceremonial  impurities.  In  reaping 
their  fields,  they  were  required  to  leave  unreaped,  for 
the  poor,  the  corners ;  not  to  glean  their  fields,  olive- 
yards,  or  vineyards ;  and,  if  a  sheaf  was  left,  by  mistake, 
they  were  not  to  return  for  it,  but  leave  it  for  the  poor. 
When  a  man  sent  away  a  servant,  he  was  thus  charged  : 
"  Furnish  him  liberally  out  of  thy  flock,  and  out  of  thy 
floor,  and  out  of  thy  wine-press."  When  a  poor  man 
came  to  borrow  money,  they  were  forbidden  to  deny 
him,  or  to  take  any  interest ;  and  if,  at  the  sabbatical, 
or  seventh,  year,  he  could  not  pay,  the  debt  was  to  be 
cancelled.  And  to  this  command,  is  added  the  signifi- 
cant caution,  "  Beware  that  there  be  not  a  thought  in 
thy  wicked  heart,  saying,  the  seventh  year,  the  year  of 
release,  is  at  hand ;  and  thine  eye  be  evil  against  thy 
poor  brother,  and  thou  givest  him  nought ;  and  he  cry 
unto  the  Lord  against  thee,  and  it  be  sin  unto  thee. 
Thou  shalt  surely  give  him,"  "because  that  for  this 
thing  the  Lord  thy  God  shall  bless  thee  in  all  thy  works, 
and  in  all  that  thou  puttest  thine  hand  unto."  Besides 
this,  the  Levites  were  distributed  through  the  land,  with 
the  intention  that  they  should  be  instructers  and  priests 
in  every  part  of  the  nation.  Thus,  one  twelfth  of  the 


ON    ECONOMY    OF    TIME.  183 

people  were  set  apart,  having  no  landed  property,  to  be 
priests  and  teachers  ;  and  the  other  tribes  were  required 
to  support  them  liberally. 

In  regard  to  the  time  taken  from  secular  pursuits,  for 
the  support  of  religion,  an  equally  liberal  amount  was 
demanded.  In  the  first  place,  one  seventh  part  of  their 
time  was  taken  for  the  weekly  sabbath,  when  no  kind 
of  work  was  to  be  done.  Then  the  whole  nation  were 
required  to  meet,  at  the  appointed  place,  three  times  a 
year,  which,  including  their  journeys,  and  stay  there, 
occupied  eight  weeks,  or  another  seventh  part  of 
their  time.  Then  the  sabbatical  year,  when  no  agri- 
cultural labor  was  to  be  done,  took  another  seventh 
of  their  time  from  their  regular  pursuits,  as  they  were 
an  agricultural  people.  This  was  the  amount  of  time 
and  property  demanded  by  God,  simply  to  sustain 
religion  and  morality  within  the  bounds  of  that  nation. 
Christianity  demands  the  spread  of  its  blessings  to  all 
mankind,  and  so  the  restrictions  laid  on  the  Jews  are 
withheld,  and  all  our  wealth  and  time,  not  needful  for 
our  own  best  interest,  is  to  be  employed  in  improving 
the  condition  of  our  fellow-men. 

In  deciding  respecting  the  rectitude  of  our  pursuits, 
we  are  bound  to  aim  at  some  practical  good,  as  the 
ultimate  object.  With  every  duty  of  this  life,  our 
benevolent  Creator  has  connected  some  species  of 
enjoyment,  to  draw  us  to  perform  it.  Thus,  the  palate 
is  gratified,  by  performing  the  duty  of  nourishing  our 
bodies ;  the  principle  of  curiosity  is  gratified,  in  pur- 
suing useful  knowledge ;  the  desire  of  approbation  is 
gratified,  when  we  perform  benevolent  and  social  du 
ties ;  and  every  other  duty  has  an  alluring  enjoyment 
connected  with  it.  But  the  great  mistake  of  mankind 
has  consisted  in  seeking  the  pleasures,  connected  wjth 
these  duties,  as  the  sole  aim,  without  reference  to  the 
main  end  that  should  be  held  in  view,  and  to  which 
the  enjoyment  should  be  'made  subservient.  Thus, 
men  seek  to  gratify  the  palate,  without  reference  to 
the  question  whether  the  body  is  properly  nourished  • 


184  ON    ECONOMY    OF    TIME. 

and  follow  after  knowledge,  without  inquiring  whether 
it  ministers  to  good  or  evil. 

But,  in  gratifying  the  implanted  desires  of  our  na 
ture,  we  are  bound  so  to  restrain  ourselves,  by  reason 
and  conscience,  as  always  to  seek  the  main  objects  of 
existence — the  highest  good  of  ourselves  and  others ; 
and  never  to  sacrifice  this,  for  the  mere  gratification  of 
our  sensual  desires.  We  are  to  gratify  appetite,  just 
so  far  as  is  consistent  with  health  and  usefulness ;  and 
the  desire  for  knowledge,  just  so  far  as  will  enable  us 
to  do  most  good  by  our  influence  and  efforts ;  and  no 
farther.  We  are  to  seek  social  intercourse,  to  that 
extent,  which  will  best  promote  domestic  enjoyment 
and  kindly  feelings  among  neighbors  and  friends ;  and 
we  are  to  pursue  exercise  and  amusement,  only  so  far 
as  will  best  sustain  the  vigor  of  body  and  mind.  For 
the  right  apportionment  of  time,  to  these  and  various 
other  duties,  we  are  to  give  an  account  to  our  Creator 
and  final  Judge. 

Instead  of  attempting  to  give  any  very  specific  rules 
on  this  subject,  some  modes  of  economizing  time  will 
be  suggested.  The  most  powerful  of  all  agencies,  in 
this  matter,  is,  that  habit  of  system  and  order,  in  all 
our  pursuits,  which  has  been  already  pointed  out.  It 
is  probable,  that  a  regular  and  systematic  employment 
of  time,  will  enable  a  person  to  accomplish  thrice  the 
amount  of  labor,  that  could  otherwise  be  performed. 

Another  mode  of  economizing  time,  is,  by  uniting 
several  objects  in  one  employment.  Thus,  exercise, 
or  charitable  efforts,  can  be  united  with  social  enjoy- 
ments, as  is  done  in  associations  for  sewing,  or  visiting 
the  poor.  Instruction  and  amusement  can  also  be 
combined.  Pursuits  like  music,  gardening,  drawing, 
botany,  and  the  like,  unite  intellectual  improvement 
with  amusement,  social  enjoyment,  and  exercise. 

With  housekeepers,  and  others  whose  employments 
are  various  and  desultory,  much  time  can  be  saved  by 
preparing  employments  for  little  intervals  of  leisure. 
Thus,  some  ladies  make  ready,  and  keep  in  the  parlor, 


ON  ECONOMY  IN  EXPENSES.  185 

light  work,  to  take  up  when  detained  there  ;  some 
keep  a  book  at  hand,  in  the  nursery,  to  read  while 
holding  or  sitting  by  a  sleeping  infant.  One  of  the 
most  popular  female  poets  of  our  Country  very  often 
shows  her  friends,  at  their  calls,  that  the  thread  of  the 
knitting,  never  need  interfere  with  the  thread  of  agree- 
able discourse. 

It  would  be  astonishing,  to  one  who  had  never  tried 
the  experiment,  how  much  can  be  accomplished,  by  a 
little  planning  and  forethought,  in  thus  finding  employ- 
ment for  odd  intervals  of  time. 

But,  besides  economizing  our  own  time,  we  are 
bound  to  use  our  influence  and  example  to  prortote 
the  discharge  o£  the  sarne  duty  by  others.  A  woman 
is  under  obligations  so  to  arrange  the  hours  and  pur- 
suits of  her  family,  as  to  promote  systematic  and  habit- 
ual industry ;  and  if,  by  late  breakfasts,  irregular  hours 
for  meals,  and  other  hinderances  of  this  kind,  she  in- 
terferes with,  or  refrains  from  promoting  regular  indus- 
try in,  others,  she  is  accountable  to  God  for  all  the 
waste  of  time  consequent  on  her  negligence.  The 
mere  example  of  system  and  industry,  in  a  house- 
keeper, has  a  wonderful  influence  in  promoting  the 
same  virtuous  habit  in  others. 

On  Economy  in  Expenses. 

It  is  impossible  for  a  woman  to  practise  a  wise 
economy  in  expenditures,  unless  she  is  taught  how 
to  do  it,  either  by  a  course  of  experiments,  or  by  the 
instruction  of  those  who  have  had  experience.  It  is 
amusing  to  notice  the  various,  and  oftentimes  contra- 
dictory, notions  of  economy,  among  judicious  and  ex- 
perienced housekeepers  ;  for  there  is  probably  no  econ- 
omist, who  would  not  be  deemed  lavish  or  wasteful, 
in  some  respects,  by  another  and  equally  experienced 
and  judicious  person,  who,  in  some  different  points, 
would  herself  be  as  much  condemned  by  the  other. 
These  diversities  are  occasioned  by  dissimilar  early 
habits,  and  by  the  different  relative  value  assigned,  by 
16*  •  D.  * 


186  ON  ECONOMY  IN  EXPENSES. 

each,  to  the  various  modes  of  enjoyment,  for  which 
money  is  expended. 

But,  though  there  may  be  much  disagreement  in 
minor  matters,  there  are  certain  general  principles, 
which  all  unite  in  sanctioning.  The  first,  is,  that  care 
be  taken  to  know  the  amount  of  income  and  of  cur- 
rent expenses,  so  that  the  proper  relative  proportion 
be  preserved,  and  the  expenditures  never  exceed  the 
means.  Few  women  can  do  this,  thoroughly,  without 
keeping  regular  accounts.  The  habits  of  this  Nation, 
especially  among  business-men,  are  so  desultory,  and 
the  current  expenses  of  a  family,  in  many  points,  are 
so  much  more  under  the  control  of  the  man  than  of 
the  woman,  that  many  women,  who  |ire  disposed  to 
be  systematic  in  this  matter,  cannot  follow  their  wishes. 
But  there  are  often  cases,  when  much  is  left  undone 
in  this  particular,  simply  because  no  effort  is  made. 
Yet  every  woman  is  bound  to  do  as  much  as  is  in  her 
power,  to  accomplish  a  systematic  mode  of  expendi- 
ture, and  the  regulation  of  it  by  Christian  principles. 

The  following  are  examples  of  different  methods 
which  have  been  adopted,  for  securing  a  proper  ad- 
justment of  expenses  to  the  means. 

The  first,  is  that  of  a  lady,  who  kept  a  large  board- 
ing-house, in  one  of  our  cities.  Every  evening,  before 
retiring,  she  took  an  account  of  the  expenses  of  the 
day;  and  this  usually  occupied  her  not  more  than 
fifteen  minutes,  at  a  time.  On  each  Saturday,  she 
made  an  inventory  of  the  stores  on  hand,  and  of  the 
daily  expenses,  and  also  of  what  was  due  to  her ;  ana 
then  made  an  exact  estimate  of  her  expenditures  and 
profits.  This,  after  the  first  two  or  three  weeks,  never 
took  more  than  an  hour,  at  the  close  of  the  week. 
Thus,  by  a  very  little  time,  regularly  devoted  to  this 
object,  she  knew,  accurately,  her  income,  expenditures, 
and  profits. 

Another  friend  of  the  writer,  lives  on  a  regular  sala- 
ry. The  method  adopted,  in  this  case,  is  to  calculate 
to  what  the  salary  amounts,  each  week.  Then  an 


ON  ECONOMY  IN  EXPENSES.  187 

account  is  kept,  of  what  is  paid  out,  each  week,  for 
rent,  fuel,  wages,  and  food.  This  amount  of  each 
week  is  deducted  from  the  weekly  income.  The  re- 
mainders of  each  week  are  added,  at  the  close  of  a 
month,  as  the  stock  from  which  is  to  be  taken,  the 
dress,  furniture,  books,  travelling  expenses,  charities, 
and  all  other  expenditures. 

Another  lady,  whose  husband  is  a  lawyer,  divides 
the  year  into  four  quarters,  and  the  income  into  four 
equal  parts.  She  then  makes  her  plans,  so  that  the 
expenses  of  one  quarter  shall  never  infringe  on  the 
income  of  another.  So  resolute  is  she,  in  carrying 
out  this  determination,  that  if,  by  any  mischance,  she 
is  in  want  of  articles  before  the  close  of  a  quarter, 
which  she  has  not  the  means  for  providing,  she  will 
subject  herself  to  temporary  inconvenience,  by  waiting, 
rather  than  violate  her  rule. 

Another  lady,  whose  husband  is  engaged  in  a  busi- 
ness, which  he  thinks  makes  it  impossible  for  him  to 
know  what  his  yearly  income  will  be,  took  this  meth- 
od : — She  kept  an  account  of  all  her  disbursements, 
for  one  year.  This  she  submitted  to  her  husband,  and 
obtained  his  consent,  that  the  same  sum  should  be 
under  her  control,  the  coming  year,  for  similar  pur- 
poses, with  the  understanding,  that  she  might  modify 
future  apportionments,  in  any  way  her  judgement  and 
conscience  might  approve. 

A  great  deal  of  uneasiness  and  discomfort  is  caused, 
to  both  husband  and  wife,  in  many  cases,  by  an  entire 
want  of  system  and  forethought,  in  arranging  expenses. 
Both  keep  buying  what  they  think  they  need,  without 
any  calculation  as  to  how  matters  are  coming  out,  and 
with  a  sort  of  dread  of  running  in  debt,  all  the  time 
harassing  them.  Such  never  know  the  comfort  of 
independence.  But,  if  a  man  or  woman  will  only 
calculate  what  their  income  is,  and  then  plan  so  as  to 
know  that  they  are  all  the  time  living  within  it,  they 
secure  one  of  the  greatest  comforts,  which  wealth  ever 
bestows,  and  what  many  of  the  rich,  who  live  in  a 


188          ON  ECONOMY  IN  EXPENSES. 

loose  and  careless  way,  never  enjoy.  It  is  not  so 
much  the  amount  of  income,  as  the  regular  and  coriect 
apportionment  of  expenses,  that  makes  a  family  truly 
comfortable.  A  man,  with  ten  thousand  a  year,  is 
often  more  harassed,  for  want  of  money,  than  the  sys- 
tematic economist,  who  supports  a  family  on  only  six 
hundred  a  year.  And  the  inspired  command,  "  Owe 
no  man  any  thing,"  can  never  be  conscientiously  ob- 
served, without  a  systematic  adaptation  of  expenses  to 
means. 

As  it  is  very  important  that  young  ladies  should  learn 
systematic  economy,  in  expenses,  it  will  be  a  great 
benefit,  for  every  young  girl  to  begin,  at  twelve  or  thir- 
teen years  of  age,  to  make  her  own  purchases,  and 
keep  her  accounts,  under  the  guidance  of  her  mother, 
or  some  other  friend.  And  if-  parents  would  ascertain 
the  actual  expense  of  a  daughter's  clothing,  for  a  year 
and  give  the  sum  to  her,  in  quarterly  payments,  re- 
quiring a  regular  account,  it  would  "be  of  great  benefit 
in  preparing  her  for  future  duties.  How  else  are  young 
ladies  to  learn  to  make  purchases  properly,  and  to  be 
systematic  and  economical?  The  art  of  system  and 
economy  can  no  more  come  by  intuition,  than  the  art 
of  watchmaking  or  bookkeeping ;  and  how  strange  it 
appears,  that  so  many  young  ladies  take  charge  of  a 
husband's  establishment,  without  having  had  either  in- 
struction or  experience  in  one  of  the  most  important 
duties  of  their  station  ! 

The  second  general  principle  of  economy,  is,  that,  in 
apportioning  an  income,  among  various  objects,  the 
most  important  should  receive  the  largest  supply,  and 
that  all  retrenchments  be  made  in  matters  of  less  im- 
portance. In  -a  previous  chapter,  some  general  princi- 
ples have  been  presented,  to  guide  in  this  duty.  Some 
additional  hints  will  here  be  added,  on  the  same  topic. 

In  regard  to  dress  and  furniture,  much  want  of 
judgement  and  good  taste  is  often  seen,  in  purchasing 
some  expensive  article,  which  is  not  at  all  in  keeping 
with  the  other  articles  connected  with  it.  Thus,  a 


ON  ECONOMY  IN  EXPENSES.  189 

large  sideboard,  or  elegant  mirror,  or  sofa,  which  would 
be  suitable  only  for  a  large  establishment,  with  other 
rich  furniture,  is  crowded  into  too  small  a  room,  with 
coarse  and  cheap  articles  around  it.  So,  also,  some- 
times a  parlor,  and  company-chamber,  will  be  furnished 
in  a  style  suitable  only  for  the  wealthy,  while  the  table 
will  be  supplied  with  shabby  linen,  and  imperfect 
crockery,  and  every  other  part  of  the  house  will  look, 
in  comparison  with  these  fine  rooms,  mean  and  nig- 
gardly. It  is  not  at  all  uncommon,  to  find  very  showy 
and  expensive  articles  in  the  part  of  the  house  visible  to 
strangers,  when  the  children's  rooms,  kitchen,  and  other 
back  portions,  are  on  an  entirely  different  scale. 

So  in  regard  to  dress,  a  lady  will  sometimes  purchase 
an  elegant  and  expensive  article,  which,  instead  of  at- 
tracting admiration  from  the  eye  of  taste,  will  merely 
serve  as  a  decoy  to  the  painful  contrast  of  all  other 
parts  of  the  dress.  A  woman  of  real  good  taste  and 
discretion,  will  strive  to  maintain  a  relative  consistency 
between  all  departments,  and  not,  in  one  quarter,  live 
on  a  scale  fitted  only  to  the  rich,  and  in  another,  on 
one  appropriate  only  to  the  poor. 

Another  mistake  in  economy,  is  often  made,  by  some 
of  the  best-educated  and  most  intelligent  of  mothers. 
Such  will  often  be  found  spending  day  after  day  at 
needlework,  when,  with  a  comparatively  small  sum, 
this  labor  could  be  obtained  of  those  who  need  the 
money,  which  such  work  would  procure  for  them. 
Meantime,  the  daughters  of  the  family,  whom  the 
mother  is  qualified  to  educate,  or  so  nearly  qualified, 
that  she  could  readily  keep  ahead  of  her  children,  are 
sent  to  expensive  boarding-schools,  where  their  delicate 
frames,  their  pliant  minds,  and  their  moral  and  re- 
ligious interests,  are  relinquished  to  the  hands  of 
strangers.  And  the  expense,  thus  incurred,  would 
serve  to  pay  the  hire  of  every  thing  the  mother  can  d  3 
in  sewing,  four  or  five  times  over.  The  same  want  of 
economy  is  shown  in  communities,  where,  instead  of 
establishing  a  good  female  school  in  their  vicinity,  the 


190  ON  ECONOMY  IN  EXPENSES. 

men  of  wealth  send  their  daughters  abroad,  at  double 
the  expense,  to  be  either  educated  or  spoiled,  as  the 
case  may  be. 

Another  species  of  poor  economy,  is  manifested  in 
neglecting  to  acquire  and  apply  mechanical  skill,  which, 
in  consequence,  has  to  be  hired  from  others.  Thus, 
all  the  plain  sewing  will  be  done  by  the  mother  and 
daughters,  while  all  that  requires  skill  will  be  hired 
Instead  of  this,  others  take  pains  to  have  their  daugh 
ters  instructed  in  mantuamaking,  and  the  simpler  part* 
of  millinery,  so  that  the  plain  work  is  given  to  the  poor 
who  need  it,  and  the  more  expensive  and  tasteful 
operations  are  performed  in  the  family.  The  writei 
knows  ladies,  who  not  only  make  their  own  dresses 
but  also  their  caps,  bonnets,  and  artificial  flowers. 

Some  persons  make  miscalculations  in  economy,  b} 
habitually  looking  up  cheap  articles,  while  others  go  t( 
the  opposite  extreme,  and  always  buy  the  best  of  even 
thing.  Those  ladies,  who  are  considered  the  besl 
economists,  do  not  adopt  either  method.  In  regard  to 
cheap  goods,  the  fading  colors,  the  damages  discovered 
in  use,  the  poorness  of  material,  and  the  extra  sewing 
demanded  to  replace  articles  lost  by  such  causes, 
usually  render  them  very  dear,  in  the  end.  On  the 
other  hand,  though  some  articles,  of  the  most  ex- 
pensive kind,  wear  longest  and  best,  yet,  as  a  general 
rule,  articles  at  medium  prices  do  the  best  service. 
This  is  true  of  table  and  bed  linens,  broadcloths,  shirt- 
ings, and  the  like ;  though,  even  in  these  cases,  it  is 
often  found,  that  the  coarsest  and  cheapest  last  the 
longest. 

Buying  by  wholesale,  and  keeping  a  large  supply  on 
hand,  are  economical  only  in  large  families,  where  the 
mistress  is  careful ;  but  in  other  cases,  the  hazards  of 
accident,  and  the  temptation  to  a  lavish  use,  will  make 
the  loss  outrun  the  profits. 

There  is  one  mode  of  economizing,  which,  it  is  hoped, 
will  every  year  grow  more  rare ;  and  that  is,  making 
penurious  savings,  by  getting  the  poor  to  work  as  cheap 


ON  ECONOMY  IN  EXPENSES  191 

as  possible.  Many  amiable  and  benevolent  women 
have  done  this,  on  principle,  without  reflecting  on  the 
want  of  Christian  charity  thus  displayed.  Let  every 
woman,  in  making  bargains  with  the  poor,  conceive 
herself  placed  in  the  same  circumstances,  toiling  hour 
after  hour,  and  day  after  day,  for  a  small  sum,  and 
then  deal  with  others  as  she  would  be  dealt  by  in  such 
a  situation.  Liberal  prices,  and  prompt  payment,  should 
oe  an  invariable  maxim,  in  dealing  with  the  poor. 

The  third  general  principle  of  economy,  is,  that  all 
articles  should  be  so  used,  and  taken  care  of,  as  to 
secure  the  longest  service,  with  the  least  waste.  Under 
this  head,  come  many  particulars  in  regard  to  the  use 
and  preservation  of  articles,  which  will  be  found  more 
in  detail  in  succeeding  chapters.  It  may  be  proper, 
however,  here  to  refer  to  one  very  common  impression, 
as  to  the  relative  obligation  of  the  poor  and  the  rich  in 
regard  to  economy.  Many  seem  to  suppose,  that  those 
who  are  wealthy,  have  a  right  to  be  lavish  and  negli- 
gent in  the  care  of  expenses.  But  this  surely  is  a  great 
mistake.  Property  is  a  talent,  given  by  God,  to  spend 
for  the  welfare  of  mankind ;  and  the  needless  waste  of 
it,  is  as  wrong  in  the  rich,  as  it  is  in  the  poor.  The 
rich  are  under  obligations  to  apportion  their  income,  to 
the  various  objects  demanding  attention,  by  the  same 
rule  as  all  others ;  and  if  this  will  allow  them  to  spend 
more  for  superfluities  than  those  of  smaller  means,  it 
never  makes  it  right  to  misuse  or  waste  any  of  the 
bounties  of  Providence.  Whatever  is  no  longer  wanted 
for  their  own  enjoyment,  should  be  carefully  saved,  to 
add  to  the  enjoyment  of  others. 

It  is  not  always  that  men  understand  the  economy 
of  Providence,  in  that  unequal  distribution  of  property, 
which,  even  under  the  most  perfect  form  of  govern- 
ment, will  always  exist.  Many,  looking  at  the  present 
state  of  things,  imagine  that  the  rich,  if  they  acted  in 
strict  conformity  to  the  law  of  benevolence,  would  share 
all  their  property  with  their  suffering  fellow-men.  But 
such  do  not  take  into  account,  the  inspired  declaration 


192  ON  ECONOMY  IN  EXPENSES 

that  "  a  man's  life  consisteth  not  in  the  abundance  of 
the  things  which  he  possesseth,"  or,  in  other  words, 
life  is  made  valuable,  not  by  great  possessions,  but  by 
such  a  character  as  prepares  a  man  to  enjoy  what  he 
holds.  God  perceives  that  human  character  can  be 
most  improved,  by  that  kind  of  discipline,  which  exists, 
when  there  is  something  valuable  to  be  gained  by  in- 
dustrious efforts.  This  stimulus  to  industry  could 
never  exist,  in  a  community  where  all  are  just  alike, 
as  it  does  in  a  state  of  society  where  every  man  sees, 
possessed  by  others,  enjoyments,  which  he  desires,  and 
may  secure  by  effort  and  industry.  So,  in  a  community 
where  all  are  alike  as  to  property,  there  would  be  no 
chance  to  gain  that  noblest  of  all  attainments,  a  habit 
of  self-denying  benevolence,  which  toils  for  the  good 
of  others,  and  takes  from  one's  own  store,  to  increase 
the  enjoyments  of  another. 

Instead,  then,  of  the  stagnation,  both  of  industry 
and  of  benevolence,  which  would  follow  the  universal 
and  equable  distribution  of  property,  one  class  of  men, 
by  superior  advantages  of  birth,  or  intellect,  or  patron- 
age, come  into  possession  of  a  great  amount  of  capital. 
With  these  means,  they  are  enabled,  by  study,  reading, 
and  travel,  to  secure  expansion  of  mind,  and  just  views 
of  the  relative  advantages  of  moral,  intellectual,  and 
physical  enjoyments.  At  the  same  time,  Christianity 
imposes  obligations,  corresponding  with  the  increase 
of  advantages  and  means.  The  rich  are  not  at  liberty 
to  spend  their  treasures  for  themselves,  alone.  Their 
wealth  is  given,  by  God,  to  be  employed  for  the  best 
good  of  mankind  ;  and  their  intellectual  advantages 
are  designed,  primarily,  to  enable  them  to  judge  cor- 
rectly, in  employing  their  means  most  wisely  for  the/ 
general  good. 

Now,  suppose  a  man  of  wealth  inherits  ten  thou- 
sand acres  of  real  estate :  it  is  not  his  duty  to  divide 
it  among  his  poor  neighbors  and  tenants.  If  he  took 
this  course,  it  is  probable,  that  most  of  them  would 
spend  all  in  thriftless  waste  and  indolence,  or  in  mere 


ON  ECONOMY  IN  EXPENSES.  193 

physical  enjoyments.  Instead,  then,  of  thus  putting 
his  capital  out  of  his  hands,  he  is  bound  to  retain,  and 
so  to  employ,  it,  as  to  raise  his  neighbors  and  tenants 
to  such  a  state  of  virtue  and  intelligence,  that  they  can 
secure  far  more,  by  their  own  efforts  and  industry,  than 
he,  by  dividing  his  capital,  could  bestow  upon  them. 

In  this  view  of  the  subject,  it  is  manifest,  that  the 
unequal  distribution  of  property  is  no  evil.  The  great 
difficulty  is,  that  so  large  a  portion  of  those  who  hold 
much  capital,  instead  of  using  their  various  advantages 
for  the  greatest  good  of  those  around  them,  employ 
the  chief  of  them  for  mere  selfish  indulgences ;  thus 
inflicting  as  much  mischief  on  themselves,  as  results  to 
others  from  their  culpable  neglect.  A  great  portion 
of  the  rich  seem  to  be  acting  on  the  principle,  that  the 
more  God  bestows  on  them,  the  less  are  they  under 
obligation  to  practise  any  self-denial,  in  fulfilling  his 
benevolent  pkn  of  raising  our  race  to  intelligence  and 
holiness. 

There  are  not  a  few,  who  seem  to  imagine  that  it  is 
a  mark  of  gentility  to  be  careless  of  expenses.  But 
this  notion,  is  owing  to  a  want  of  knowledge  of  the 
world.  As  a  general  fact,  it  will  be  found,  that  persons 
of  rank  and  wealth,  abroad >  are  much  more  likely  to 
be  systematic  and  economical,  than  persons  of  inferior 
standing  in  these  respects.  Even  the  most  frivolous, 
among  the  rich  and  great,  are  often  found  practising 
a  rigid  economy,  in  certain  respects,  in  order  to  secure 
gratifications  in  another  direction.  And  it  will  be 
found  so  common,  among  persons  of  vulgar  minds, 
and  little  education,  and  less  sense,  to  make  a  display 
of  profusion  and  indifference  to  expense,  as  a  mark 
of  their  claims  to  gentility,  that  the  really  genteel  look 
upon  it  rather  as  a  mark  of  low  breeding.  So  that 
the  sort  of  feeling,  which  some  persons  cherish,  as  if 
it  were  a  degradation  to  be  careful  of  small  sums,  and 
to  be  attentive  to  relative  prices,  in  making  purchases, 
is  founded  on  mistaken  notions  of  gentility  and  pro- 
priety. 

17  •        D.  E 


194  ON  ECONOMY  IN  EXPENSES. 

But  one  caution  is  needful,  in*  regard  to  anothei 
extreme.  When  a  lady  of  wealth,  is  seen  roaming 
about  in  search  of  cheaper  articles,  or  trying  to  beat 
down  a  shopkeeper,  or  making  a  close  bargain  with 
those  she  employs,  the  impropriety  is  glaring  to  all 
minds.  A  person  of  wealth  has  no  occasion  to  spend 
time  in  looking  for  extra  cheap  articles ;  her  time 
could  be  more  profitably  employed  in  distributing  to 
the  wants  of  others.  And  the  practice  of  beating 
down  tradespeople,  is  vulgar  and  degrading,  in  any 
one.  A  woman,  after  a  little  inquiry,  can  ascertain 
what  is  the  fair  and  common  price  of  things;  and 
if  she  is  charged  an  exorbitant  sum,  she  can  decline 
taking  the  article.  If  the  price  be  a  fair  one,  it  is 
not  becoming  in  her  to  search  for  another  article  which 
is  below  the  regular  charge.  If  a  woman  finds  that 
she  is  in  a  store  where  they  charge  high  prices,  expect- 
ing to  be  beat  down,  she  can  mention,  that  she  wishes 
to  know  the  lowest  price,  as  it  is  contrary  to  her  prin- 
ciples to  beat  down  charges. 

There  is  one  inconsistency,  worthy  of  notice,  which 
is  found  among  that  class,  who  are  ambitious  of  being 
ranked  among  the  aristocracy  of  society.  It  has  been 
remarked,  that,  in  the  real  aristocracy  of  other  lands, 
it  is  much  more  common,  than  with  us,  to  practise 
systematic  economy.  And  such  do  not  hesitate  to  say 
so,  when  they  cannot  afford  certain  indulgences.  This 
practice  descends  to  subordinate  grades ;  so  that  for- 
eign ladies,  when  they  come  to  reside  among  us,  sel- 
dom hesitate  in  assigning  the  true  reason,  when  they 
cannot  afford  any  gratification.  But  in  this  Country, 
it  will  be  found,  that  many,  who  are  most  fond  of 
copying  aristocratic  examples,  are,  on  this  point,  rather 
with  the  vulgar.  Not  a  few  of  those  young  persons, 
who  begin  life  with  parlors  and  dresses  in  a  style  fitting 
only  to  established  wealth,  go  into  expenses,  which 
they  can  ill  afford ;  and  are  ashamed  even  to  allow, 
that  they  are  restrained  from  any  expense,  by  motives 
of  economy.  Such  a  confession  is  never  extorted, 


ON    HEALTH    OF    MIND.  195 

except  by  some  call  of  benevolence ;  and  then,  they 
are  very  ready  to  declare  that  they  cannot  afford  to 
bestow  even  a  pittance.  In  such  cases,  it  would  seem 
as  if  the  direct  opposite  of  Christianity  had  gained  pos- 
session of  their  tastes  and  opinions.  They  are  ashamed 
to  appear  to  deny  themselves  ;  but  are  very  far  from 
having  any  shame  in  denying  the  calls  of  benevolence 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

ON    HEALTH    OF    MIND. 

THERE  is  such  an  intimate  connection  between  the 
body  and  mind,  that  the  health  of  one,  cannot  be  pre- 
served, without  a  proper  care  of  the  other.  And  it  is 
from  a  neglect  of  this  principle,  that  some  of  the  most 
exemplary  and  conscientious  persons  in  the  world, 
suffer  a  thousand  mental  agonies,  from  a  diseased  state 
of  body,  while  others  ruin  the  health  of  the  body,  by 
neglecting  the  proper  care  of  the  mind.  When  the 
brain  is  excited,  by  stimulating  drinks  taken  into  the 
stomach,  it  produces  a  corresponding  excitement  of  the 
mental  faculties.  The  reason,  the  imagination,  and  aL 
the  powers,  are  stimulated  to  preternatural  vigor  and 
activity.  In  like  manner,  when  the  mind  is  excited  by 
earnest  intellectual  effort,  or  by  strong  passions,  the 
brain  is  equally  excited,  and  the  blood  rushes  to  the 
head.  Sir  Astley  Cooper  records,  that,  in  examining 
the  brain  of  a  young  man  who  had  lost  a  portion  of  his 
skull,  whenever  "  he  was  agitated,  by  some  opposition 
to  his  wishes,"  "the  blood  was  sent,  with  increased 
force,  to  his  brain,"  and  the  pulsations  "became  fre- 
quent and  violent."  The  same  effect  was  produced  by 
any  intellectual  effort ;  and  tiie  flushed  countenance, 
which  attends  earnest  study  or  strong  emotions  of  fear; 
shame,  or  anger,  is  an  external  indication  of  the  suffused 
state  of  the  brain  from  such  causes. 


196  ON    HEALTH    OF    MIND. 

In  exhibiting  the  causes,  which  injure  the  health  of 
the  mind,  they  will  be  found  to  be  partly  physical, 
partly  intellectual,  and  partly  moral. 

The  first  cause  of  mental  disease  and  suffering,  is 
not  unfrequently  found  in  the  want  of  a  proper  supply 
of  duly  oxygenized  blood.  It  has  been  shown,  that  the 
blood,  in  passing  through  the  lungs,  is  purified,  by  the 
oxygen  of  the  air  combining  with  the  superabundant 
hydrogen  and  carbon  of  the  venous  blood,  thus  forming 
carbonic  acid  and  water,  which  are  expired  into  the 
atmosphere.  Every  pair  of  lungs  is  constantly  with- 
drawing from  the  surrounding  atmosphere  its  healthful 
principle,  and  returning  one,  which  is  injurious  to  hu- 
man life. 

When,  by  confinement,  and  this  process,  the  atmos- 
phere is  deprived  of  its  appropriate  supply  of  oxygen, 
the  purification  of  the  blood  is  interrupted,  and  it  passes, 
without  being  properly  prepared,  into  the  brain,  pro- 
ducing languor,  restlessness,  and  inability  to  exercise 
the  intellect  and  feelings.  Whenever,  therefore,  per- 
sons sleep  in  a  close  apartment,  or  remain,  for  a  length 
of  time,  in  a  crowded  or  ill- ventilated  room,  a  most  per- 
nicious influence  is  exerted  on  the  brain,  and,  through 
this,  on  the  mind.  A  person,  who  is  often  exposed  to 
such  influences,  can  never  enjoy  that  elasticity  and 
vigor  of  mind,  which  is  one  of  the  chief  indications  of 
its  health.  This  is  the  reason,  why  all  rooms  for  re- 
ligious meetings,  and  all  schoolrooms,  and  sleeping 
apartments,  should  be  so  contrived,  as  to  secure  a  con- 
stant supply  of  fresh  air  from  without.  The  minister, 
who  preaches  in  a  crowded  and  ill-ventilated  apart- 
ment, loses  much  of  his  power  to  feel  and  to  speak, 
while  the  audience  are  equally  reduced,  in  their  capa- 
bility of  attending.  The  teacher,  who  confines  children 
in  a  close  apartment,  diminishes  their  ability  to  study. 
or  to  attend  to  his  instructions.  And  the  person,  who 
habitually  sleeps  in  a  close  room,  impairs  his  mental 
energies,  in  a  similar  degree.  It  is  not  unfrequently 
the  case,  that  depression  of  spirits,  and  stupor  of  intel- 
lect, are  occasioned  solely  by  inattention  to  this  subject. 


ON    HEALTH    OF    MIND.  197 

Another  cause  of  mental  disease,  is,  the  excessive 
exercise  of  the  intellect  or  feelings.  If  the  eye  is  taxed, 
beyond  its  strength,  by  protracted  use,  its  blood-vessels 
become  gorged,  and  the  bloodshot  appearance  warns 
of  the  excess  and  the  need  of  rest.  The  brain  is 
affected,  in  a  similar  manner,  by  excessive  use,  though 
the  suffering  and  inflamed  organ  cannot  make  its 
appeal  to  the  eye.  But  there  are  some  indications, 
which  ought  never  to  be  misunderstood  or  disregarded 
In  cases  of  pupils,  at  school  or  at  college,  a  diseased 
state,  from  over  action,  is  often  manifested  by  increased 
clearness  of  mind,  and  ease  and  vigor  of  mental  action 
In  one  instance,  known  to  the  writer,  a  most  exemplary 
and  industrious  pupil,  anxious  to  improve  every  hour, 
and  ignorant  or  unmindful  of  the  laws  of  health,  first 
manifested  the  diseased  state  of  her  brain  and  mind,  by 
demands  for  more  studies,  and  a  sudden  and  earnest 
activity  in  planning  modes  of  improvement  for  herself 
and  others.  When  warned  of  her  danger,  she  pro- 
tested that  she  never  was  better,  in  her  life ;  that  she 
took  regular  exercise,  in  the  open  air,  went  to  bed  in 
season,  slept  soundly,  and  felt  perfectly  well ;  that  her 
mind  was  never  before  so  bright  and  clear,  and  study 
never  so  easy  and  delightful.  And  at  this  time,  she 
was  on  the  verge  of  derangement,  from  which  she  was 
saved  only  by  an  entire  cessation  of  all  her  intellectual 
efforts. 

A  similar  case  occurred,  under  the  eye  of  the  writer, 
from  over-excited  feelings.  It  was  during  a  time  of 
unusual  religious  interest  in  the  community,  and  the 
mental  disease  was  first  manifested,  by  the  pupil  bring- 
ing her  Hymn-book  or  Bible  to  the  class-room,  and 
making  it  her  constant  resort,  in  every  interval  of 
school  duty.  It  finally  became  impossible  to  convince 
her,  that  it  was  her  duty  to  attend  to  any  thing  else ; 
her  conscience  became  morbidly  sensitive,  her  per- 
ceptions indistinct,  her  deductions  unreasonable,  and 
nothing,  but  entire  change  of  scene,  exercise,  and 
amusement,  saved  her.  When  the  health  of  the  brain 

17*  D.  E. 


198  ON    HEALTH    OF    MIND. 

was  restored,  she  found  that  she  could  attend  to  the 
"  one  thing  needful/'  not  only  without  interruption  of 
duty,  or  injury  of  health,  but  rather  so  as  to  promote 
both.  Clergymen  and  teachers  need  most  carefully  to 
notice  and  guard  against  the  danger  here  alluded  to. 

Any  such  attention  to  religion,  as  prevents  the  per- 
formance of  daily  duties  and  needful  relaxation,  is 
dangerous,  as  tending  to  produce  such  a  state  of  the 
brain,  as  makes  it  impossible  to  feel  or  judge  correctly 
And  when  any  morbid  and  unreasonable  pertinacity 
appears,  much  exercise,  and  engagement  in  other  in- 
teresting pursuits,  should  be  urged,  as  the  only  mode 
of  securing  the  religious  benefits  aimed  at.  And 
whenever  any  mind  is  oppressed  with  care,  anxiety, 
or  sorrow,  the  amount  of  active  exercise  in  the  fresh 
air  should  be  greatly  increased,  that  the  action  of  the 
muscles  may  withdraw  the  blood,  which,  in  such  sea- 
sons, is  constantly  tending  too  much  to  the  brain. 

There  has  been  a  most  appalling  amount  of  suffering, 
derangement,  disease,  and  death,  occasioned  by  a  want 
of  attention  to  this  subject,  in  teachers  and  parents. 
Uncommon  precocity  in  children  ;  usually  the  result  of 
an  unhealthy  state  of  the  brain;  and,  in  such  cases, 
medical,  men  would  now  direct,  that  the  wonderful  child 
should  be  deprived  of  all  books  and  study,  and  turned 
to  play  or  work  in  the  fresh  air.  Instead  of  this,  parents 
frequently  add  fuel  to  the  fever  of  the  brain,  by  supplying 
constant  mental  stimulus,  until  the  victim  finds  refuge  in 
idiocy  or  an  early  grave.  Where  such  fatal  results  do 
not  occur,  the  brain,  in  many  cases,  is  so  weakened,  that 
the  prodigy  of  infancy  sinks  below  the  medium  of  intel- 
lectual powers  in  afterlife.  In  our  colleges,  too,  many 
of  the  most  promising  minds  sink  to  an  early  grave,  or 
drag  out  a  miserable  existence,  from  this  same  cause. 
And  it  is  an  evil,  as  yet  little  alleviated  by  the  increase 
of  physiological  knowledge.  Every  college  and  pro- 
fessional school,  and  every  seminary  for  young  ladies, 
needs  a  medical  man,  not  only  to  lecture  on  physiology 
and  the  laws  of  health,  but  empowered,  in  his  official 


ON    HEALTH    OF    MIND.  199 

capacity,  to  investigate  the  case  of  every  pupil,  and, 
by  authority,  to  restrain  him  to  such  a  course  of  study, 
exercise,  and  repose,  as  his  physical  system  requires. 
The  writer  has  found,  by  experience,  that,  in  a  large 
institution,  there  is  one  class  of  pupils  who  need  to  be 
restrained,  by  penalties,  from  late  hours  and  excessive 
study,  as  much  as  another  class  need  stimulus  to  in- 
dustry. 

Under  the  head  of  excessive  mental  action,  must 
be  placed  the  indulgence  of  the  imagination  in  novel 
reading  and  castle  building.  This  kind  of  stimulus, 
unless  counterbalanced  by  physical  exercise,  not  only 
wastes  time  and  energies,  but  undermines  the  vigor  of 
the  nervous  system.  The  imagination  was  designed, 
by  our  kind  Creator,  as  the  charm  and  stimulus  to 
animate  to  benevolent  activity ;  and  its  perverted  exer- 
cise seldom  fails  to  bring  the  appropriate  penalty. 

A  third  cause  of  mental  disease,  is,  the  want  of 
the  appropriate  exercise  of  the  various  faculties  of  the 
mind.  On  this  point,  Dr.  Combe  remarks,  "  We  have 
seen,  that,  by  disuse,  muscle  becomes  emaciated,  bone 
softens,  blood-vessels  are  obliterated,  and  nerves  lose 
their  characteristic  structure.  The  brain  is  no  excep- 
tion to  this  general  rule.  Of  it,  also,  the  tone  is  im- 
paired by  permanent  inactivity,  and  it  becomes  less 
fit  to  manifest  the  mental  powers  with  readiness  and 
energy."  It  is  "  the  withdrawal  of  the  stimulus  neces- 
sary for  its  healthy  exercise,  which  renders  solitary  con- 
finement so  severe  a  punishment,  even  to  the  most 
daring  minds.  It  is  a  lower  degree  of  the  same  cause, 
which  renders  continuous  seclusion  from  society  so 
injurious,  to  both  mental  and  bodily  health." 

"  Inactivity  of  intellect  and  of  feeling  is  a  very  fre- 
quent predisposing  cause  of  every  form  of  nervous 
disease.  For  demonstrative  evidence  of  this  position, 
we  have  only  to  look  at  the  numerous  victims  to  be 
found,  among  persons  who  have  no  call  to  exertion  in 
gaining  the  means  of  subsistence,  and  no  objects  of 
interest  en  which  to  exercise  their  mental  faculties, 


200  ON    HEALTH    OF    MIND. 

and  who  consequently  sink  into  a  state  of  mental  sloth 
and  nervous  weakness."  "If  we  look  abroad  upon 
society,  we  shall  find  innumerable  examples  of  mental 
and  nervous  debility  from  this  cause.  When  a  person 
of  some  mental  capacity  is  confined,  for  a  long  time, 
to  an  unvarying  round  of  employment,  which  affords 
neither  scope  nor  stimulus  for  one  half  of  his  faculties, 
and,  from  want  of  education  or  society,  has  no  exter- 
nal resources ;  his  mental  powers,  for  want  of  exercise, 
become  blunted,  and  his  perceptions  slow  and  dull." 
"  The  intellect  and  feelings,  not  being  provided  with 
interests  external  to  themselves,  must  either  become 
inactive  and  weak,  or  work  upon  themselves  and  be- 
come diseased." 

"  The  most  frequent  victims  of  this  kind  of  predis- 
position, are  females  of  the  middle  and  higher  ranks, 
especially  those  of  a  nervous  constitution  and  good 
natural  abilities ;  but  who,  from  an  ill-directed  educa- 
tion, possess  nothing  more  solid  than  mere  accomplish- 
ments, and  have  no  materials  of  thought,"  and  no 
"occupation  to  excite  interest  or  demand  attention." 
"  The  liability  of  such  persons  to  melancholy,  hysteria, 
hypochondriasis,  and  other  varieties  of  mental  distress, 
really  depends  on  a  state  of  irritability  of  brain,  in- 
duced by  imperfect  exercise." 

These  remarks,  of  a  medical  man,  illustrate  the  prin- 
ciples before  indicated ; — namely,  that  the  demand  of 
Christianity,  that  we  live  to  promote  the  general  happi- 
ness, and  not  merely  for  selfish  indulgence,  has  for  its 
aim,  not  only  the  general  good,  but  the  highest  happi- 
ness, of  the  individual  of  whom  it  is  Acquired. 

A  person  possessed  of  wealth,  who  has  nothing  more 
noble  to  engage  his  attention,  than  seeking  his  own 
personal  enjoyment,  subjects  his  mental  powers  and 
moral  feelings  to  a  degree  of  inactivity,  utterly  at  war 
with  health  of  mind.  And  the  greater  the  capacities, 
the  greater  are  the  sufferings  which  result  from  this 
cause.  Any  one,  who  has  read  the  misanthropic  wail- 
ings  of  Lord  Byron,  has  seen  the  necessary  result  of 


ON    HEALTH    OF    MIND.  201 

great  and  noble  powers  bereft  of  their  appropriate 
exercise,  and,  in  consequence,  becoming  sources  of  the 
keenest  suffering. 

It  is  this  view  of  the  subject,  which  has  often 
awakened  feelings  of  sorrow  and  anxiety  in  the  mind 
of  the  writer,  while  aiding  in  the  developement  and 
education  of  superior  female  minds,  in  the  wealthier 
circles.  Not  because  there  are  not  noble  objects  for 
interest  and  effort,  abundant,  and  within  reach  of  such 
minds  ;  but  because  long-established  custom  has  made 
it  seem  so  Quixotic,  to  the  majority,  even  of  the  pro- 
fessed followers  of  Christ,  for  a  woman  of  wealth  to 
practise  any  great  self-denial,  that  few  have  indepen- 
dence of  mind  and  Christian  principle  sufficient  to 
overcome  such  an  influence.  The  more  a  mind  has 
its  powers  developed,  the  more  does  it  aspire  and  pine 
after  some  object  worthy  of  its  energies  and  affections ; 
and  they  are  commonplace  and  phlegmatic  characters, 
who  are  most  free  from  such  deep-seated  wants.  Many 
a  young  woman,  of  fine  genius  and  elevated  sentiment, 
finds  a  charm  in  Lord  Byron's  writings,  because  they 
present  a  glowing  picture  of  what,  to  a  certain  extent, 
must  be  felt  by  every  well-developed  mind,  which  has 
no  nobler  object  in  life,  than  the  pursuit  of  its  own 
gratification. 

If  young  ladies  of  wealth  could  pursue  their  educa- 
tion, under  the  full  conviction  that  the  increase  of  their 
powers  and  advantages  increased  their  obligations  to 
use  all  for  the  good  of  society,  and  with  some  plan  of 
benevolent  enterprise  in  view,  what  new  motives  of 
interest  would  be  added  to  their  daily  pursuits !  And 
what  blessed  results  would  follow,  to  our  beloved  Coun- 
try, if  all  well-educated  females  carried  out  the  prin- 
ciples of  Christianity,  in  the  exercise  of  their  developed 
powers  1 

It  is  cheering  to  know,  that  there  are  women,  among 
the  most  intelligent  and  wealthy,  who  can  be  presented 
as  examples  of  what  may  be  done,  when  there  is  a 
heart  to  do.  A  pupil  of  the  writer  is  among  this  num- 


202  ON    HEALTH    OF    MIND. 

her,  who,  though  a  rich  heiress,  immediately,  on  the 
close  of  her  school-life,  commenced  a  course  of  self 
denying  benevolence,  in  the  cause  of  education.  She 
determined  to  secure  a  superior  female  institution,  in 
her  native  place,  which  should  extend  the  benefits  of 
the  best  education  to  all  in  that  vicinity,  at  a  moderate 
charge.  Finding  no  teacher  on  the  ground,  prepared 
to  take  the  lead,  and  though  herself  a  timid  and  retir- 
ing character,  she  began,  with  the  aid  of  the  governess 
in  her  mother's  family,  a  daily  school,  superintending 
all,  and  teaching  six  hours  a  day.  The  liberal-minded 
and  intelligent  mother  cooperated,  and  the  result  is  a 
nourishing  female  seminary,  with  a  large  and  beautiful 
and  well-furnished  building;  the  greater  part  of  the 
means  being  supplied  by  the  mother,  and  almost  all 
by  the  members  of  that  family  connection.  And  both 
these  ladies  will  testify,  that  no  time  or  money,  spent 
for  any  other  object,  has  ever  secured  to  them  more 
real  and  abiding  enjoyment,  than  witnessing  the  results 
of  this  successful  and  benevolent  enterprise,  which,  for 
years  to  come,  will  pour  forth  blessings  on  society. 

Another  lady  could  be  pointed  out,  who,  possessing 
some  property,  went  into  a  new  western  village,  built 
and  furnished  her  schoolhouse,  and  established  herself 
there,  to  aid  in  raising  a  community  from  ignorance 
and  gross  worldliness,  to  intelligence  and  virtue.  And 
in  repeated  instances,  among  the  friends  and  pupils  of 
the  writer,  young  ladies  have  left  wealthy  homes,  and 
affectionate  friends,  to  find  nobler  enjoyments,  in  be- 
nevolent and  active  exertions  to  extend  intelligence 
and  virtue,  where  such  disinterested  laborers  were 
needed.  In  other  cases,  where  it  was  not  practicable 
to  leave  home,  well-educated  young  ladies  have  inter- 
3sted  themselves  in  common  schools  in  the  vicinity, 
aiding  the  teachers,  by  their  sympathy,  counsel,  and 
personal  assistance. 

Other  ladies,  of  property  and  standing,  having  fam- 
ilies to  educate,  and  being  well  qualified  for  such  du- 
ties, have  relinquished  a  large  portion  of  domestic  labor 


ON    HEALTH    OF    MIND.  203 

and  superintendence,  which  humbler  minds  could  be 
hired  to  perform,  devoted  themselves  to  the  education 
of  their  children,  and  received  others,  less  fortunate, 
to  share  with  their  own  these  superior  advantages. 
But,  so  long  as  the  feeling  widely  exists,  that  the  in- 
crease of  God's  bounties  diminishes  the  obligations  of 
self-denying  service  for  the  good  of  mankind,  so  long 
will  well-educated  women,  in  easy  circumstances,  shrink 
from  such  confinement  and  exertion. 

It  is  believed,  however,  that  there  are  many  benevo- 
lent and  intelligent  women,  in  this  Country,  who  would 
gladly  engage  in  such  enterprises,  were  there  any  ap- 
propriate way  within  their  reach.  And  it  is  a  question, 
well  deserving  consideration,  among  those  who  guide 
the  public  mind  in  benevolent  enterprises,  whether  some 
organization  is  not  demanded,  which  shall  bring  the 
whole  community  to  act  systematically,  in  voluntary 
associations,  to  extend  a  proper  education  to  every  child 
in  this  Nation,  and  to  bring  into  activity  all  the  female 
enterprise  and  benevolence  now  lying  dormant,  for 
want  of  proper  facilities  to  exercise  them.  There  are 
hundreds  of  villages,  which  need  teachers,  and  that 
would  support  them,  if  they  were  on  the  spot,  but 
which  never  will  send  for  them.  And  there  are  hun- 
dreds of  females,  now  unemployed,  who  would  teach, 
if  a  proper  place,  and  home,  and  support,  and  escort, 
were  provided  for  them.  And  there  needs  to  be  some 
enlarged  and  systematic  plan,  conducted  by  wise  and 
efficient  men,  to  secure  these  objects. 

Could  such  a  plan,  as  the  one  suggested,  be  carried 
out,  it  is  believed  that  many  female  minds,  now  suffer, 
mg,  from  diseases  occasioned  by  want  of  appropriate 
objects  for  their  energies,  would  be  relieved.  The 
duties  of  a  teacher  exercise  every  intellectual  faculty,  to 
its  full  extent ;  while,  in  this  benevolent  service,  all  the 
social,  moral,  and  benevolent,  emotions,  are  kept  in  full 
play.  The  happiest  persons  the  writer  has  ever  known, 
— those  who  could  say  that  they  were  as  happy  as  they 
wished  to  be,  in  this  world,  (and  she  has  seen  such,) — - 
were  persons  engaged  in  this  employment 


204 


ON   THE    CARE    OF    DOMESTICS. 


The  indications  of  a  diseased  mind,  owing  to  a  want 
of  the  proper  exercise  of  its  powers,  are,  apathy,  discon- 
tent, a  restless  longing  for  excitement,  a  craving  for 
unattainable  good,  a  diseased  and  morbid  action  of  the 
imagination,  dissatisfaction  with  the  world,  and  factitious 
'interest  in  trifles  which  the  mind  feels  to  be  unworthy 
of  its  powers.  Such  minds  sometimes  seek  alleviation 
:n  exciting  amusements ;  others  resort  to  the  grosser 
enjoyments  of  sense.  Oppressed  with  the  extremes  of 
languor,  or  over-excitement,  or  apathy,  the  body  fails 
under  the  wearing  process,  and  adds  new  causes  of  suf 
fering  to  the  mind.  Such,  the  compassionate  Savioui 
calls  to  his  service,  in  these  appropriate  terms :  "  Come 
unto  Me,  all  ye  that  labor  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  ] 
will  give  you  rest.  Take  My  yoke  upon  you,  and  learn 
of  Me,"  "  and  ye  shall  find  rest  unto  your  souls." 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

ON   THE    CARE    OF    DOMESTICS. 

THERE  is  no  point,  where  the  women  of  this  Coun 
try  need  more  wisdom,  patience,  principle,  and  self- 
control,  than  in  relation  to  those  whom  they  employ  in 
domestic  service.  The  subject  is  attended  with  many 
difficulties,  which  powerfully  influence  the  happiness 
of  families ;  and  the  following  suggestions  are  offered, 
to  aid  in  securing  right  opinions  and  practice. 

One  consideration,  which  it  would  be  well  to  bear  in 
mind,  on  this  subject,  is,  that  a  large  portion  of  the 
peculiar  trials,  which  American  women  suffer  from  this 
source,  are  the  necessary  evils  connected  with  our  most 
valuable  civil  blessings.  Every  blessing  of  this  life  in- 
volves some  attendant  liability  to  evil,  from  the  same 
source  ;  and,  in  this  case,  while  we  rejoice  at  a  state  of 
society,  which  so  much  raises  the  condition  and  advan- 
tages of  our  sex,  the  evils  involved  should  be  regarded 


ON    THE    CARE    OF    DOMESTICS.  205 

as  more  than  repaid,  by  the  compensating  benefits.  If 
we  cannot  secure  the  cringing,  submissive,  well-trained, 
servants  of  aristocratic  lands,  let  us  be  consoled  that 
we  thus  escape  from  the  untold  miseries  and  oppression, 
which  always  attend  that  state  of  society. 

Instead,  then,  of  complaining  that  we  cannot  have 
our  own  peculiar  advantages,  and  those  of  other  nations, 
too,  or  imagining  how  much  better  off  we  should  be,  if 
things  were  different  from  what  they  are,  it  is  much 
wiser  and  more  Christianlike  to  strive  cheerfully  to  con- 
form to  actual  circumstances  ;  and,  after  remedying  all 
that  we  can  control,  patiently  to  submit  to  what  is 
beyond  our  power.  If  domestics  are  found  to  be  in- 
competent, unstable,  and  unconfirmed  to  their  station, 
it  is  Perfect  Wisdom  which  appoints  these  trials,  to 
teach  us  patience,  fortitude,  and  self-control ;  and,  if 
the  discipline  is  met,  in  a  proper  spirit,  it  will  prove  a 
blessing,  rather  than  an  evil. 

But,  to  judge  correctly  in  regard  to  some  of  the  evils 
involved  in  the  state  of  domestic  service,  in  this  Coun- 
try, we  should  endeavor  to  conceive  ourselves  placed 
in  the  situation  of  those,  of  whom  complaint  is  made, 
that  we  may  not  expect,  from  them,  any  more  than  it 
would  seem  right  should  be  exacted  from  us,  in  similar 
circumstances. 

It  is  sometimes  urged,  against  domestics,  that  the) 
exact  exorbitant  wages.  But  what  is  the  rule  of  rec- 
titude, on  this  subject  ?  Is  it  not  the  universal  law  of 
labor  and  of  trade,  that  an  article  is  to  be  valued,  ac- 
cording to  its  scarcity  and  the  demand  ?  When  wheat 
is  scarce,  the  farmer  raises  his  price ;  and  when  a  me- 
chanic offers  services,  difficult  to  be  obtained,  he  makes 
a  corresponding  increase  of  price.  And  why  is  it  not 
right,  for  domestics  to  act  according  to  a  rule,  allowed 
to  be  correct  in  reference  to  all  other  trades  and  profes- 
sions? It  is  a  fact,  that  really  good  domestic  service 
must  continue  to  increase  in  value,  just  in  proportion  as 
this  Country  waxes  rich  and  prosperous ;  thus  making 
the  proportion  of  those,  who  wish  to  hire  labor,  rela 

18  D.E 


ON    THE    CARE    OJT    DOMESTICS. 

lively  greater,  and  the  number  of  those,  willing  to  go 
to  service,  less. 

Money  enables  the  rich  to  gain  many  advantages, 
which  those  of  more  limited  circumstances  cannot  se- 
cure. One  of  these,  is,  securing  good  domestics,  by 
offering  high  wages ;  and  this,  as  the  scarcity  of  this 
class  increases,  will  serve  constantly  to  raise  the  price 
of  service.  It  is  right  for  domestics  to  charge  the 
market  value,  and  this  value  is  always  decided  by  the 
scarcity  of  the  article  and  the  amount  of  demand. 
Right  views  of  this  subject,  will  sometimes  serve  to 
diminish  hard  feelings  towards  those,  who  would  oth- 
erwise be  wrongfully  regarded  as  unreasonable  and 
exacting. 

Another  complaint  against  domestics,  is,  that  of  in- 
stability and  discontent,  leading  to  perpetual  change. 
But  in  reference  to  this,  let  a  mother  or  daughter  con- 
ceive of  their  own  circumstances  as  so  changed,  that 
the  daughter  must  go  out  to  service.  Suppose  a  place 
is  engaged,  and  it  is  then  found  that  she  must  sleep  in 
a  comfortless  garret;  and  that,  when  a  new  domestic 
comes,  perhaps  a  coarse  and  dirty  foreigner,  she  must 
share  her  bed  with  her.  Another  place  is  offered, 
where  she  can  have  a  comfortable  room,  and  an  agree- 
able room-mate  ;  in  such  a  case,  would  not  both  mother 
and  daughter  think  it  right  to  change  ? 

Or,  suppose,  on  trial,  it  was  found  that  the  lady  oi 
the  house  was  fretful,  or  exacting,  and  hard  to  please ; 
or,  that  her  children  were  so  ungoverned,  as  to  be  per- 
petual vexations  ;  or,  that  the  work  was  so  heavy,  that 
no  time  was  allowed  for  relaxation  and  the  care  of  a 
wardrobe  ; — and  another  place  offers,  where  these  evils 
can  be  escaped :  would  not  mother  and  daughter  here 
think  it  right  to  change  ?  And  is  it  not  right  for  do 
mestics,  as  well  as  their  employers,  to  seek  places, 
where  they  can  be  most  comfortable  ? 

In  some  cases,  this  instability  and  love  of  change 
would  be  remedied,  if  employers  would  take  more  pains 
to  make  a  residence  with  them  agreeable ;  and  to  attach 


ON    THE    CARE    OF    DOMESTICS.  207 

domestics  to  the  family,  by  feelings  of  gratitude  and 
affection.  There  are  ladies,  even  where  well-qualified 
domestics  are  most  rare,  who  seldom  find  any  trouble 
in  keeping  good  and  steady  ones.  And  the  reason  is, 
that  their  domestics  know  they  cannot  better  their  con- 
dition, by  any  change  within  reach.  It  is  not  merely 
by  giving  them  comfortable  rooms,  and  good  food,  and 
presents,  and  privileges,  that  the  attachment  of  domes- 
tics is  secured ;  it  is  by  the  manifestation  of  a  friendly 
and  benevolent  interest  in  their  comfort  and  improve- 
ment. This  is  exhibited,  in  bearing  patiently  with  their 
faults ;  in  kindly  teaching  them  how  to  improve ;  in 
showing  them  how  to  make  and  take  proper  care  of 
their  clothes;  in  guarding  their  health;  in  teaching 
them  to  read,  if  necessary,  and  supplying  them  with 
proper  books ;  and,  in  short,  by  endeavoring,  so  far  as 
may  be,  to  supply  the  place  of  parents.  It  is  seldom 
that  such  a  course  would  fail  to  secure  steady  service, 
and  such  affection  and  gratitude,  that  even  higher 
wages  would  be  ineffectual  to  tempt  them  away. 
There  would  probably  be  some  cases  of  ungrateful  re- 
turns ;  but  there  is  no  doubt  that  the  course  indicated, 
if  generally  pursued,  would  very  much  lessen  the  evil 
in  question. 

Another  subject  of  complaint,  in  regard  to  domestics, 
is,  their  pride,  insubordination,  and  spirit  not  con- 
formed to  their  condition.  They  are  not  willing  to  be 
called  servants ;  in  some  places,  they  claim  a  seat,  at 
meals,  with  the  family;  they  imitate  a  style  of  dress 
unbecoming  their  condition ;  and  their  manners  and 
address  are  rude  and  disrespectful.  That  these  evils 
are  very  common,  among  this  class  of  persons,  cannot 
be  denied ;  the  only  question  is,  how  can  they  best  be 
met  and  remedied. 

In  regard  to  the  common  feeling  among  domestics, 
which  is  pained  and  offended  by  being  called  "  ser- 
vants," there  is  need  of  some  consideration  and  allow- 
ance. It  should  be  remembered,  that,  in  this  Country, 
children,  from  their  earliest  years,  are  trained  to  abhor 


208  ON    THE    CARE    OF    DOMESTICS. 

slavery,  in  reference  to  themselves,  as  the  greatest  of 
all  possible  shame  and  degradation.  They  are  per- 
petually hearing  orations,  songs,  and  compositions  of 
all  sorts,  which  set  forth  the  honor  and  dignity  of  free- 
men, and  heap  scorn  and  contempt  on  all  who  would 
be  so  mean  as  to  be  slaves.  Now  the  term  servant, 
and  the  duties  it  involves,  are,  in  the  minds  of  many 
persons,  nearly  the  same  as  those  of  slave.  And  there 
are  few  minds,  entirely  free  from  associations  which 
make  servitude  a  degradation.  It  is  not  always  pride, 
then,  which  makes  this  term  so  offensive.  It  is  a  con- 
sequence of  that  noble  and  generous  spirit  of  freedom, 
which  every  American  draws  from  his  mother's  breast, 
and  which  ought  to  be  respected,  rather  than  despised. 
In  order  to  be  respected,  by  others,  we  must  respect 
ourselves ;  and  sometimes  the  ruder  classes  of  society 
make  claims,  deemed  forward  and  offensive,  when,  with 
their  views,  such  a  position  seems  indispensable  to  pre- 
serve a  proper  self-respect. 

Where  an  excessive  sensibility  on  this  subject  exists, 
and  forward  and  disrespectful  manners  result  from  it, 
the  best  remedy  is,  a  kind  attempt  to  give  correct  views, 
such  as  better-educated  minds  are  best  able  to  attain. 
It  should  be  shown  to  them,  that,  in  this  Country,  labor 
has  ceased  to  be  degrading,  in  any  class ;  that,  in  all 
classes,  different  grades  of  subordination  must  exist; 
and  that  it  is  no  more  degrading,  for  a  domestic  to  re- 
gard the  heads  of  a  family  as  superiors  in  station,  and 
treat  them  with  becoming  respect,  than  it  is  for  chil- 
dren to  do  the  same,  or  for  men  to  treat  their  rulers 
with  respect  and  deference.  They  should  be  taught, 
that  domestics  use  a  different  entrance  to  the  house, 
and  sit  at  a  distinct  table,  not  because  they  are  inferior 
beings,  but  because  this  is  the  best  method  of  securing 
neatness,  order,  and  convenience.  They  can  be  shown, 
if  it  is  attempted  in  a  proper  spirit  and  manner,  that 
these  very  regulations  really  tend  to  their  own  ease  and 
comfort,  as  well  as  to  that  of  the  family. 

The  writer  has  known  a  case,  where  the  lady  of  the 


ON    THE    CARE    OF    DOMESTICS.  209 

family,  for  the  sake  of  convincing  her  domestic  of  the 
truth  of  these  views,  allowed  her  to  follow  her  own 
notions,  for  a  short  time,  and  join  the  family  at  meals. 
It  was  merely  required,  as  a  condition,  that  she  should 
always  dress  her  hair  as  the  other  ladies  did,  and 
appear  in  a  clean  dress,  and  abide  by  all  the  rules  of 
propriety  at  table,  which  the  rest  were  required  to  prac- 
tise, and  which  were  duly  detailed.  The  experiment 
was  tried,  two  or  three  times ;  and,  although  the  domes- 
tic was  treated  with  studious  politeness  and  kindness, 
she  soon  felt  that  she  should  be  much  more,  comforta- 
ble in  the  kitchen,  where  she  could  talk,  eat,  and  dress, 
as  shte  pleased.  A  reasonable  domestic  can  also  be 
made  to  feel  the  propriety  of  allowing  opportunity  for 
the  family  to  talk  freely  of  their  private  affairs,  when 
they  meet  at  meals,  as  they  never  could  do,  if  restrained 
by  the  constant  presence  of  a  stranger.  Such  views, 
presented  in  .a  kind  and  considerate  manner,  will  often 
entirely  change  the  views  of  a  domestic,  who  is  sensi- 
tive on  such  subjects. 

When  a  domestic  is  forward  and  bold  in  manners, 
and  disrespectful  in  address,  a  similar  course  can  be 
pursued.  It  can  be  shown,  that  those,  who  are  among 
the  best-bred  and  genteel,  have  courteous  and  respect- 
ful manners  and  language  to  all  they  meet,  while  many, 
who  have  wealth,  are  regarded  as  vulgar,  because  they 
exhibit  rude  and  disrespectful  manners.  The  very 
term,  gentleman,  indicates  the  refinement  and  delicacy 
of  address,  which  distinguishes  the  high-bred  from  the 
coarse  and  vulgar. 

In  regard  to  appropriate  dress,  in  most  cases  it  is 
difficult  for  an  employer  to  interfere,  directly,  with  com- 
ments or  advice.  The  most  successful  mode,  is,  to 
offer  some  service  in  mending  or  making  a  wardrobe, 
and  when  a  confidence  in  the  kindness  of  feeling  is 
thus  gained,  remarks  and  suggestions  will  generally  be 
properly  received,  and  new  views  of  propriety  and 
economy  can  be  imparted.  In  some  cases,  it  may  be 
well  for  an  employer, — who,  from  appearances,  antici 
18*  D.  E. 


Si  10  ON   THE    CARE    OF    DOMESTICS 

pates  difficulty  of  this  kind, — in  making  the  agreement; 
to  state  that  she  wishes  to  have  the  room,  person,  and 
dress  of  her  domestics  kept  neat,  and  in  order,  and 
that  she  expects  to  remind  them  of  their  duty,  in  thin 
particular,  if  it  is  neglected.  Domestics  are  very  apt  to 
neglect  the  care  of  their  own  chambers  and  clothing ; 
and  such  habits  have  a  most  pernicious  influence  on 
their  wellbeing,  and  on  that  of  their  children  in  future 
domestic  life.  An  employer,  then,  is  bound  to  exercise 
a  parental  care  over  them,  in  these  respects. 

In  regard  to  the  great  deficiencies  of  domesfics,  in 
qualifications  for  their  duties,  much  patience  and  be- 
nevolence are  required.  Multitudes  have  never  been 
taught  to  do  their  work  properly ;  and,  in  such  cases, 
how  unreasonable  it  would  be  to  expect  it  of  them  ! 
Most  persons,  of  this  class,  depend,  for  their  knowledge 
in  domestic  affairs,  not  on  their  parents,  who  are  usu- 
ally unqualified  to  instruct  them,  but  on  their  employ- 
ers ;  and  if  they  live  in  a  family  where  nothing  is  done 
neatly  and  properly,  they  have  no  chance  to  learn  how 
to  perform  their  duties  well.  When  a  lady  finds  that 
she  must  employ  a  domestic  who  is  ignorant,  awkward, 
and  careless,  her  first  effort  should  be,  to  make  all 
proper  allowance  for  past  want  of  instruction,  and  the 
next,  to  remedy  the  evil,  by  kind  and  patient  teaching. 
In  doing  this,  it  should  ever  be  borne  in  mind,  that 
nothing  is  more  difficult,  than  to  change  old  habits,  and 
to  learn  to  be  thoughtful  and  considerate.  And  a 
woman  must  make  up  her  mind  to  tell  the  same  thing 
"  over  and  over  again,"  and  yet  not  lose  her  patience. 
It  will  often  save  much  vexation,  if,  on  the  arrival  of  a 
new  domestic,  the  mistress  of  the  family,  or  a  daughter, 
will,  for  two  or  three  days,  go  round  with  the  novice, 
and  show  the  exact  manner  in  which  it  is  expected 
the  work  will  be  done.  And  this,  also,  it  may  be  well 
to  specify  in  the  agreement,  as  some  domestics  would 
otherwise  resent  such  a  supervision. 

But  it  is  often  remarked,  that,  after  a  woman  has 
taken  all  this  pains  to  instruct  a  domestic,  and  make 


ON    THE    CARE    OF    DOMESTICS.  2J  t 

her  a  good  one,  some  other  person  will  offer  higher 
wages,  and  she  will  leave.  This,  doubtless,  is  a  sore 
trial ;  but,  if  such  efforts  were  made  in  the  true  spirit  of 
benevolence,  the  lady  will  still  have  her  reward,  in  the 
•  consciousness  that  she  has  contributed  to  the  welfare 
of  society,  by  making  one  more  good  domestic,  and 
one  more  comfortable  family  where  that  domestic  is 
employed ;  and  if  the  latter  becomes  the  mother  of  a 
family,  a  whole  circle  of  children  will  share  in  the 
benefit. 

There  is  one  great  mistake,  not  unfrequently  made, 
in  the  management  both  of  domestics  and  of  children ; 
and  that  is,  in  supposing  that  the  way  to  cure  defects, 
is  by  finding  fault  as  each  failing  occurs.  But,  instead 
of  this  being  true,  in  many  cases  the  directly  opposite 
course  is  the  best ;  while,  in  all  instances,  much  good 
judgement  is  required,  in  order  to  decide  when  to 
notice  faults,  and  when  to  let  them  pass  unnoticed. 
There  are  some  minds,  very  sensitive,  easily  discour- 
aged, and  infirm  of  purpose.  Such  persons,  when  they 
have  formed  habits  of  negligence,  haste,  and  awkward- 
ness, often  need  expressions  of  sympathy  and  encour- 
agement, rather  than  reproof.  They  have  usually  been 
found  fault  with,  so  much,  that  they  have  become  either 
hardened  or  desponding ;  and  it  is  often  the  case,  that 
a  few  words  of  commendation  will  awaken  fresh  efforts 
and  renewed  hope.  In  almost  every  case,  words  of 
kindness,  confidence,  and  encouragement,  should  be 
mingled  with  the  needful  admonitions  or  reproof. 

It  is  a  good  rule,  in  reference  to  this  point,  to  fore- 
warn, instead  of  finding  fault.  Thus,  when  a  thing  has 
been  done  wrong,  let  it  pass  unnoticed,  till  it  is.  to  be 
done  again  ;  and  then,  a  simple  request,  to  have  it  done 
in  the  right  way,  will  secure  quite  as  much,  and  proba- 
bly more,  willing  effort,  than  a  reproof  administered  for 
neglect.  Some  persons  seem  to  take  it  for  granted, 
that  young  and  inexperienced  minds  are  bound  to  have 
all  the  forethought  and  discretion  of  mature  persons ; 
and  freely  express  wonder  and  disgust,  when  mishaps 


212  ON    THE    CARE    OF    DOMESTICS. 

occur  for  want  of  these  traifc.  But  it  would  be  far 
better  to  save  from  mistake  or  forgetfulness,  by  previous 
caution  and  care  on  the  part  of  those  who  have  gained 
experience  and  forethought ;  and  thus  many  occasions 
of  complaint  and  ill-humor  will  be  avoided. 

Those,  who  fill  the  places  of  heads  of  families,  arc 
not  very  apt  to  think  how  painful  it  is,  to  be  chided  foi 
neglect  of  duty,  or  for  faults  of  character.  If  they 
would  sometimes  imagine  themselves  in  the  place  of 
those  whom  they  control,  with  some  person  daily  ad- 
ministering reproof  to  them,  in  the  same  tone  and  style 
as  they  employ  to  those  who  are  under  them,  it  might 
serve  as  a  useful  check  to  their  chidings.  It  is  often 
the  case,  that  persons,  who  are  most  strict  and  exacting, 
and  least  able  to  make  allowances  and  receive  pallia- 
tions, are  themselves  peculiarly  sensitive  to  any  thing 
which  implies  that  they  are  in  fault.  By  such,  the 
spirit  implied  in  the  Divine  petition,  "  forgive  us  our 
trespasses  as  we  forgive  those  who  trespass  against  us," 
needs  especially  to  be  cherished. 

One  other  consideration,  is  very  important.  There 
is  no  duty,  more  binding  on  Christians,  than  that  of 
patience  and  meekness  under  provocations  and  disap- 
pointment. Now,  the  tendency  of  every  sensitive 
mind,  when  thwarted  in  its  wishes,  is,  to  complain  and 
find  fault,  and  that  often  in  tones  of  fretfulness  or 
anger.  But  there  are  few  domestics,  who  have  not 
heard  enough  of  the  Bible,  to  know  that  angry  or  fret- 
ful fault-finding,  from  the  mistress  of  a  family,  when 
her  work  is  not  done  to  suit  her,  is  not  in  agreement 
with  the  precepts  of  Christ.  They  notice  and  feel  the 
inconsistency ;  and  every  woman,  when  she  gives  way 
to  feelings  of  anger  and  impatience,  at  the  faults  of 
those  around  her,  lowers  herself  in  their  respect,  while 
her  own  conscience,  Unless  very  much  blinded,  cannot 
but  suffer  a  wound. 

There  are  some  women,  who,  in  the  main,  are  amia 
ble,  who  seem  impressed  with  the  idea,  that  it  is  their 
office   and   duty   to   find   fault   with  their   domestics, 


ON    THE    CARE    OF    INFANTS.  213 

whenever  any  thing  is  not  exactly  right,  and  follow 
their  fancied  calling  without  the  least  appearance  of 
tenderness  or  sympathy,  as  if  the  objects  of  their  disci 
pline  were  stocks  or  stones.  The  writer  once  heard  a 
domestic,  describing  her  situation  in  a  family  which  she 
had  left,  make  this  remark  of  her  past  employer :  "  She 
was  a  very  good  housekeeper,  allowed  good  wages,  and 
gave  us  many  privileges  and  presents ;  but  if  we  ever 
did  any  thing  wrong,  she  always  talked  to  us  just  as  if 
she  thought  we  had  no  feelings,  and  I  never  was  so  un- 
happy in  my  life,  as  while  living  with  her."  And  this 
was  said  of  a  kind-hearted  and  conscientious  woman, 
by  a  very  reasonable  and  amiable  domestic. 

Every  woman,  who  has  the  care  of  domestics,  should 
cultivate  a  habit  of  regarding  them  with  that  sympathy 
and  forbearance,  which  she  would  wish  for  herself  or 
her  daughters,  if  deprived  of  parents,  fortune,  and 
home.  The  fewer  advantages  they  have  enjoyed,  and 
the  greater  difficulties  of  temper  or  of  habit  they  have 
to  contend  with,  the  more  claims  they  have  on  com- 
passionate forbearance.  They  ought  ever  to  be  looked 
upon,  not  as  the  mere  ministers  to  our  comfort  and 
convenience,  but  as  the  humbler  and  more  neglected 
children  of  our  Heavenly  Father,  whom  He  has  sent  to 
claim  our  sympathy  and  aid.* 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

ON   THE    CARE    OF    INFANTS. 

EVERY  young  lady  ought  to  learn  how  to  take  proper 
care  of  an  infant ;  for,  even  if  she  is  never  to  become 
the  responsible  guardian  of  a  nursery,  she  will  often 

*  The  excellent  little  work  of  Miss  Sedgwick,  entitled  'Live,  and 
Let  Live,'  contains  many  valuable  and  useful  hints,  conveyed  in  a 
most  pleasing  narrative  form,  which  every  housekeeper  would  do 
well  tc  read.  The  writer  also  begs  leave  to  mention  a  work  of  her 
own,  entitled, '  Letters  to  Persons  engaged  in  Domestic  Service  ' 


214  ON    THE    CARE    OF    INFANTS. 

be  in  situations  where  she  can  render  benevolent  aid  tc 
others,  in  this  most  fatiguing  and  anxious  duty. 

The  writer  has  known  instances,  in  which  young 
ladies,  who,  having  been  trained,  by  their  mothers, 
properly  to  perform  this  duty,  were,  in  some  cases, 
the  means  of  saving  the  lives  of  infants,  and  in  others, 
of  relieving,  by  their  benevolent  aid,  sick  mothers,  from 
intolerable  care  and  anguish. 

On  this  point,  Dr.  Combe  remarks,  "All  women 
are  not  destined,  in  the  course  of  Nature,  to  become 
mothers ;  but  how  very  small  is  the  number  of  those, 
who  are  unconnected,  by  family  ties,  friendship,  or 
sympathy,  with  the  children  of  others !  How  very  few 
are  there,  who,  at  some  time  or  other  of  their  lives,  would 
not  find  their  usefulness  and  happiness  increased,  by  the 
possession  of  a  kind  of  knowledge,  intimately  allied  to 
their  best  feelings  and  affections !  And  how  important 
is  it,  to  the  mother  herself,  that  her  efforts  should  be 
seconded  by  intelligent,  instead  of  ignorant,  assistants ! " 

In  order  to  be  prepared  for  such  benevolent  minis- 
tries, every  young  lady  should  improve  the  opportunity, 
whenever  it  is  afforded  her,  for  learning  how  to  wash, 
dress,  and  tend,  a  young  infant;  and  whenever  she 
meets  with  such  a  work  as  Dr.  Combe's,  on  the  man 
agement  of  infants,  she  ought  to  read  it,  and  remember 
its  contents. 

It  was  the  design  of  the  author,  to  fill  this  chapter 
chiefly  with  extracts  from  various  medical  writers, 
giving  some  of  the  most  important  directions  on  this 
subject ;  but  finding  these  extracts  too  prolix  for  a  work 
of  this  kind,  she  has  condensed  them  into  a  shorter 
compass.  Some  are  quoted  verbatim,  and  some  are 
abridged,  chiefly  from  the  writings  of  Doctors  Combe, 
Bell,  and  Eberle,  who  are  among  the  most  approved 
writers  on  this  subject. 

"  Nearly  one  half  of  the  deaths,  occurring  during  the 
j  first  two  years  of  existence,  are  ascribable  to  misman 
agement,  and  to  errors  in  diet.     At  birth,  the  stomach 
"  is  feeble,  and  as  yet  unaccustomed  to  food ;  its  cravings 


ON   THE    CARE    OF    INFANTS  215 

are  consequently  easily  satisfied,  and  frequently  re- 
newed." "At  that  early  age,  there  ought  to  be  no 
fixed  time  for  giving  nourishment.  The  stomach  can- 
not be  thus  satisfied."  "  The  active  call  of  the  infant 
is  a  sign,  which  needs  never  be  mistaken." 

But  care  must  be  taken  to  determine  between  the 
crying  of  pain  or  uneasiness,  and  the  call  for  food  ;  and 
the  practice  of  giving  an  infant  food,  to  stop  its  cries,  is 
often  the  means  of  increasing  its  sufferings.  After  a 
child  has  satisfied  its  hunger,  from  two  to  four  hours 
should  intervene,  before  another  supply  is  given. 

"At  birth,  the  stomach  and  bowels,  never  having 
been  used,  contain  a  quantity  of  mucous  secretion, 
which  requires  to  be  removed.  To  effect  this,  Nature 
has  rendered  the  first  portions  of  the  mother's  milk 
purposely  watery  and  laxative.  iNurses,  however,  dis- 
trusting Nature,  often  hasten  to  administer  some  active 
purgative ;  and  the  consequence  often  is,  irritation  in 
the  stomach  and  bowels,  not  easily  subdued."  It  is 
only  where  the  child  is  deprived  of  its  mother's  milk,  as 
the  first  food,  that  some  gentle  laxative  should  be  given. 

"  It  is  a  common  mistake,  to  suppose,  that,  because 
a  woman  is  nursing,  she  ought  to  live  very  fully,  and 
to  add  an  allowance  of  wine,  porter,  or  other  fermented 
liquor,  to  her  usual  diet.  The  only  result  of  this  plan, 
is,  to  cause  an  unnatural  fulness  in  the  system,  which 
places  the  nurse  on  the  brink  of  disease,  and  retards, 
rather  than  increases,  the  food  of  the  infant.  More 
will  be  gained  by  the  observance  of  the  ordinary  laws 
of  health,  than  by  any  foolish  deviation,  founded  on 
ignorance." 

There  is  no  point,  on  which  medical  men  so  em 
phatically  lift  the  voice  of  warning,  as  in  reference  to 
administering  medicines  to  infants.  It  is  so  difficult  to 
discover  what  is  the  matter  with  an  infant,  its  frame  is 
so  delicate  and  so  susceptible,  and  slight  causes  have 
such  a  powerful  influence,  that  it  requires  the  utmost 
skill  and  judgement  to  ascertain  what  would  be  proper 
medicines,  and  the  proper  quantity  to  be  given. 


216  ON    THE    CARE    OF    INFANTS. 

Says  Dr.  Combe,  "That  there  are  cases,  in  which 
active  means  must  be  promptly  used,  to  save  the  child, 
is  perfectly  true.  But  it  is  not  less  certain,  that  these 
are  cases,  of  which  no  mother  or  nurse  ought  to  attempt 
the  treatment.  As  a  general  rule,  where  the  child  is 
well  managed,  medicine,  of  any  kind,  is  very  rarely  re- 
quired ;  and  if  disease  were  more  generally  regarded  in 
its  true  light,  not  as  something  thrust  into  the  system, 
which  requires  to  be  expelled  by  force,  but  as  an  aber- 
ration from  a  natural  mode  of  action,  produced  by  some 
external  cause,  we  should  be  in  less  haste  to  attack  it  by 
medicine,  and  more  watchful  in  its  prevention.  Ac- 
cordingly, where  a  constant  demand  for  medicine  exists 
in  a  nursery,  the  mother  may  rest  assured,  that  there  is 
something  essentially  wrong  in  the  treatment  of  her 
children. 

"  Much  havoc  is  made  among  infants,  by  the  abuse 
of  calomel  and  other  medicines,  which  procure  momen- 
tary relief,  but  end  by  producing  incurable  disease  ;  and 
it  has  often  excited  my  astonishment,  to  see  how  reck- 
lessly remedies  of  this  kind  are  had  recourse  to,  on  the 
most  trifling  occasions,  by  mothers  and  nurses,  who 
would  be  horrified,  if  they  knew  the  nature  of  the 
power  they  are  wielding,  and  the  extent  of  injury  they 
are  inflicting." 

Instead,  then,  of  depending  on  medicine,  for  the 
preservation  of  the  health  and  life  of  an  infant,  the  fol- 
lowing precautions  and  preventives  should  be  adopted. 

Take  particular  care  of  the  food  of  an  infant.  If  it 
is  nourished  by  the  mother,  her  own  diet  should  be 
simple,  nourishing,  and  temperate.  If  the  child  be 
brought  up  by  hand,  the  milk  of  a  new-milch  cow, 
mixed  with  one  third  water,  and  sweetened  a  little  with 
white  sugar,  should  be  the  only  food  given,  until  the 
teeth  come.  This  is  more  suitable,  than  any  prepara- 
tions of  flour  or  arrow-root,  the  nourishment  of  which 
is  too  highly  concentrated.  Never  give  a  child  bread, 
cake,  or  meat,  before  the  teeth  appear.  If  the  food  ap- 
pear to  distress  the  child,  after  eating,  first  ascertain  if 


ON    THE    CARE    OF    INFANTS.  2l"7 

the  milk  be  really  from  a  new-milch  cow,  as  it  may 
otherwise  be  too  old.  Learn,  also,  whether  the  cow 
lives  on  proper  food.  Cows  that  are  fed  on  still-slops, 
as  is  often  the  case  in  cities,  furnish  milk  which  is  very 
unhealthful. 

Be  sure  and  keep  a  good  supply  of  pure  and  fresh 
air,  in  the  nursery.  On  this  point,  Dr.  Bell  remarks, 
respecting  rooms  constructed  without  fireplaces,  and 
without  doors  or  windows  to  let  in  pure  air,  from  with- 
out, "  The  sufferings  of  children  of  feeble  constitutions, 
are  increased,  beyond  measure,  by  such  lodgings  as 
these.  An  action,  brought  by  the  Commonwealth,  ought 
to  lie  against  those  persons,  who  build  houses  for  sale 
or  rent,  in  which  rooms  are  so  constructed  as  not  to 
allow  of  free  ventilation ;  and  a  writ  of  lunacy  taken 
out  against  those,  who,  with  the  common-sense  experi- 
ence which  all  have  on  this  head,  should  spend  any 
portion  of  their  time,  still  more,  should  sleep,  in  rooms 
thus  nearly  air-tight." 

After  it  is  a  month  or  two  old,  take  an  infant  out  to 
walk,  or  ride,  in  a  little  wagon,  every  fair  and  warm 
day ;  but  be  very  careful  that  its  feet,  and  every  part 
of  its  body,  are  kept  warm :  and  be  sure  that  its  eyes 
are  well  protected  from  the  light.  Weak  eyes,  and 
sometimes  blindness,  are  caused  by  neglecting  this  pre- 
caution. Keep  the  head  of  an  infant  cool,  never  allow- 
ing too  warm  bonnets,  nor  permitting  it  to  sink  into 
soft  pillows,  when  asleep.  Keeping  an  infant's  head 
too  warm,  very  much  increases  nervous  irritability ;  and 
this  is  the  reason  why  medical  men  forbid  the  use  of 
caps  for  infants.  But  the  head  of  an  infant  should, 
especially  while  sleeping,  be  protected  from  draughts 
of  air,  and  from  getting  cold. 

Be  very  careful  of  the  skin  of  an  infant,  as  nothing 
tends  so"  effectually  to  prevent  disease.  For  this  end, 
it  should  be  washed  all  over,  every  morning,  and  then 
gentle  friction  should  be  applied,  with  the  hand,  to  the 
back,  stomach,  bowels,  and  limbs.  The  head  should 
be  thoroughly  washed,  every  day.  and  then  brushed 
19  D,  E, 


218  ON   THE    CARE    OF    INFANTS. 

with  a  soft  hair-brush,  or  combed  with  a  fine  comb 
If,  by  neglect,  dirt  accumulates  under  the  hair,  apply, 
with  the  finger,  the  yolk  of  an  egg,  and  then  the  fine 
comb  will  remove  it  all,  without  any  trouble. 

Dress  the  infant,  so  that  it  will  be  always  warm,  but 
not  so  as  to  cause  perspiration.  Be  sure  and  keep  its 
feet  always  warm ;  and,  for  this  end,  often  warm  them  at 
a  fire,  and  use  long  dresses.  Keep  the  neck  and  arms 
covered.  For  this  purpose,  wrappers,  open  in  front, 
made  high  in  the  neck,  with  long  sleeves,  to  put  on 
over  the  frock,  are  now  very  fashionable. 

It  is  better  for  both  mother  and  child,  that  it  should 
not  sleep  on  the  mother's  arm,  at  night,  unless  the 
weather  be  extremely  cold.  This  practice  keeps  the 
child  too  warm,  and  leads  it  to  seek  food  too  frequent- 
ly. A  child  should  ordinarily  take  nourishment  but 
twice  in  the  night.  A  crib  beside  the  mother,  with  a 
plenty  of  warm  and  light  covering,  is  best  for  the  child ; 
but  the  mother  must  be  sure  that  it  is  always  kept  warm. 
Never  cover  a  child's  head,  so  that  it  will  inhale  the  air 
of  its  own  lungs.  In  very  warm  weather,  especially  in 
cities,  great  pains  should  be  taken,  to  find  fresh  and 
cool  air,  by  rides  and  sailing.  Walks  in  a  public 
square,  in  the  cool  of  the  morning,  and  frequent  ex- 
cursions in  ferry  or  steam-boats,  would  often  save  a  long 
bill  for  medical  attendance.  In  hot  nights,  the  windows 
should  be  kept  open,  and  the  infant  laid  on  a  mattress, 
or  on  folded  blankets.  A  bit  of  straw  matting,  laid 
over  a  featherbed,  and  covered  with  the  under  sheet, 
makes  a  very  cool  bed  for  an  infant. 

Cool  bathing,  in  hot  weather,  is  very  useful ;  but  the 
water  should  be  very  little  cooler  than  the  skin  of  the 
child.  When  the  constitution  is  delicate,  the  water 
should  be  slightly  warmed.  Simply  sponging  the  body, 
freely,  in  a  tub,  answers  the  same  purpose  as  a  regular 
bath.  In  very  warm  weather,  this  should  be  done  two 
or  three  times  a  day,  always  waiting  two  or  three  hours 
after  food  has  been  given. 

"When  the  stomach  is  peculiarly  irritable,  (fr 


ON    THE    CARE    Qf    INFANTS.  219 

teething,)  it  is  of  paramount  necessity  to  withhold  all 
the  nostrums  which  have  been  so  falsely  laude*d  as 
'  sovereign  cures  for  cholera  infantum.'  The  true 
restoratives,  to  a  child  threatened  with  disease,  are, 
cool  air,  cool  bathing,  and  cool  drinks  of  simple  water, 
m  addition  to  proper  food,  at  stated  intervals."  Do  not 
take  the  advice  of  mothers,  who  tell  of  this,  that,  and 
the  other  thing,  which  fcave  proved  excellent  remedies 
in  their  experience.  Children  have  different  constitu- 
tions, and  there  are  multitudes  of  different  causes  for 
their  sickness ;  and  what  might  cure  one  child,  might 
kill  another,  which  appeared  to  have  the  same  complaint. 
A  mother  should  go  on  the  general  rule,  of  giving  an 
infant  very  little  medicine,  and  then  only  by  the  di- 
rection of  a  discreet  and  experienced  physician.  And 
there  are  cases,  when,  according  to  the  views  of  the 
most  distinguished  and  competent  practitioners,  physi- 
cians themselves  are  much  too  free  in  using  medicines, 
instead  of  adopting  preventive  measures. 

Do  not  allow  a  child  to  form  such  habits,  that  it  will 
not  be  quiet,  unless  tended  and  amused.  A  healthy 
child  should  be  accustomed  to  lie  or  sit  in  its  cradle, 
much  of  the  time ;  but  it  should  occasionally  be  taken 
up,  and  tossed,  or  carried  about,  for  exercise  and 
amusement.  An  infant  should  be  encouraged  to  creep, 
as  an  exercise  very  strengthening  and  useful.  If  the 
mother  fears  the  soiling  of  its  nice  dresses,  she  can 
keep  a  long  slip  or  apron,  which  will  entirely  cover  the 
dress,  and  can  be  removed,  when  the  child  is  taken  in 
the  arms.  A  child  should  not  be  allowed,  when  quite 
young,  to  bear  its  weight  on  its  feet,  very  long  at  a  time, 
as  this  tends  to  weaken  and  distort  the  limbs. 

Many  mothers,  with  a  little  painstaking,  succeed  in 
putting  their  infants,  while  awake,  into  their  cradle,  at 
regular  hours,  for  sleep,  and  induce  regularity  in  other 
habits,  which  saves  much  trouble.  In  doing  this,  a 
child  may  cry,  at  first,  a  great  deal ;  but  for  a  healthy 
child,  this  use  of  the  lungs  does  no  harm,  and  tends 
rather  to  strengthen,  than  to  injure,  them.  A  child  who 


220        ON  THE  MANAGEMENT  OF  YOUNG  CHILDREN. 

is  trained  to  lie  or  sit,  and  amuse  itself,  is  happier  than 
one  who  is  carried  and  tended  a  great  deal,  and  thus 
rendered  restless  and  uneasy  when  not  so  indulged. 


CHAPTER   XX. 

ON    THE    MANAGEMENT    OF    YOUNG    CHILDREN. 

IN  regard  to  the  physical  education  of  children,  Dr. 
Clarke,  Physician  in  Ordinary  to  the  Queen  of  England, 
expresses  views,  on  one  point,  in  which  most  physicians 
would  coincide.  He  says,  "  There  is  no  greater  error 
in  the  management  of  children,  than  that  of  giving 
them  animal  diet  very  early.  By  persevering  in  the  use 
of  an  overstimulating  diet,  the  digestive  organs  become 
irritated,  and  the  various  secretions,  immediately  con- 
nected with,  and  necessary  to,  digestion,  are  diminished, 
especially  the  biliary  secretion.  Children,  so  fed,  become 
very  liable  to  attacks  of  fever,  and  of  inflammation, 
affecting,  particularly,  the  mucous  membranes ;  and 
measles,  and  the  other  diseases  incident  to  childhood, 
are  generally  severe  in  their  attack." 

There  are  some  popular  notions  on  the  subject  of  the 
use  of  animal  food,  which  need  to  be  corrected. 

One  mistake,  is,  in  supposing  that  the  formation 
of  the  human  teeth  and  stomach  indicate  that  man  was 
designed  to  feed  on  flesh.  Linnaeus  says,  that  the  or- 
ganization of  man,  when  compared  with  other  animals, 
shows,  that  "  fruits  and  esculent  vegetables  constitute 
his  most  suitable  food."  Baron  Cuvier,  the  highest  au- 
thority on  comparative  anatomy,  says,  "  the  natural  food 
of  man,  judging  from  his  structure,  appears  to  consist 
of  fruits,  roots,  and  other  succulent  parts  of  vegetables." 

Another  common  mistake,  is,  that  the  stimulus  of 
animal  food  is  necessary  for  the  full  developement  of 
the  physical  and  intellectual  powers.  This  notion  is 
disproved  by  facts.  The  inhabitants  of  Lapland  and 


ON  THE  MANAGEMENT  OF  YOUNG  CHILDREN,        221 

Kamtschatka,  who  live  altogether  on  animal  food,  are 
among  the  smallest,  weakest,  and  most  timid,  of  races. 
But  the  Scotch  Highlanders,  who,  in  a  very  cold  climate, 
live  almost  exclusively  on  milk  and  vegetable  diet,  are 
among  the  bravest,  largest,  and  most  athletic,  of  men. 
The  South-Sea  Islanders,  who  live  almost  exclusively 
on  fruits  and  vegetables,  are  said  to  be  altogether  su- 
perior to  English  sailors,  in  strength  and  agility.  An 
intelligent  gentleman,  who  spent  many  months  in 
Siberia,  testifies,  that  no  exiles  endure  the  climate 
better  than  those,  who  have  all  their  lives  been  accus- 
tomed to  a  vegetable  diet.  The  stoutest  and  largest 
tribes  in  Africa,  live  solely  on  vegetable  diet,  and  the 
bright,  intelligent,  and  active  Arabs,  live  entirely  on  milk 
and  vegetables. 

The  popular  notion  is,  that  animal  food  is  more 
nourishing  than  vegetable ;  but  on  this  point,  scientific 
men  hold  different  opinions.  Experiments,  repeatedly 
made  by  some  chemists,  seem  to  prove  the  contrary. 
Tables  have  been  prepared,  showing  the  amount  of 
nutriment  in  each  kind  of  food,  by  which  it  would 
appear,  that,  while  beef  contains  thirty-five  per  cent, 
of  nutritious  matter,  wheat-bread  and  rice  contain 
from  eighty  to  ninety-five  per  cent.  The  supposed 
mistake  is  attributed  to  the  fact,  that,  on  account  of 
the  stimulating  nature  of  animal  food,  it  digests  easier 
and  more  quickly  than  vegetables.  Many  physicians, 
however,  among  them,  Dr.  Combe,*  are  of  opinion,  that 
animal  food  "  contains  a  greater  quantity  of  nutriment 
in  a  given  bulk,  than  either  herbaceous  or  farinaceous 
food."  In  some  diseases,  too,  meat  is  better  for  the 
stomach  than  vegetables. 

The  largest  proportion  of  those,  who  have  been  re- 
markable for  having  lived  to  the  greatest  age,  were  per 
sons,  whose  diet  was  almost  exclusively  vegetables  ;  and 
it  is  a  wellknown  fact,  that  the  pulse  of  a  hardy  and 
robust  man,  who  lives  on  simple  vegetable  diet,  is  from 

*  See  his  '  Physiology  of  Digestion  considered  with  relation  to  the 
Principles  of  Dietetics/  issued  by  the  Publisher*  of  this  work. 
19*  •       D.  E. 


222        ON  THE  MANAGEMENT  OP  YOUNG  CHILDREN. 

ten  to  twenty  beats  less  in  a  minute,  than  that  of  men 
who  live  on  a  mixed  diet. 

In  regard  to  the  intellect,  Dr.  Franklin  asserted,  from 
experience,  that  an  exclusively  vegetable  diet  "pro- 
motes clearness  of  ideas  and  quickness  of  perception ; 
and  is  to  be  preferred,  by  all  who  labor  with  the  mind." 
The  mightiest  efforts  of  Sir  Isaac  Newton,  were  per- 
formed, while  nourished  only  by  bread  and  water. 
Many  other  men,  distinguished  by  intellectual  vigor, 
give  similar  testimony.  These  facts  show  that  animal 
food  is  not  needful,  to  secure  the  perfect  developement 
of  mind  or  body.* 

The  result  of  the  treatment  of  the  inmates  of  the 
Orphan  Asylum,  at  Albany,  is  one,  upon  which  all, 
who  have  the  care  of  young  children,  should  deeply 
ponder.  During  the  first  six  years  of  the  existence  of 
this  Institution,  its  average  number  of  children  was 
eighty.  For  the  first  three  years,  their  diet  was  meat 
once  a  day,  fine  bread,  rice,  Indian  puddings,  vegeta- 
bles, fruit,  and  milk.  Considerable  attention  was  given 
to  clothing,  fresh  air,  and  exercise ;  and  they  were 
bathed  once  in  three  weeks.  During  these  three  years, 
from  four  to  six  children,  and  sometimes  more,  were 
continually  on  the  sick-list ;  one  or  two  assistant  nurses 
were  necessary ;  a  physician  was  called,  two  or  three 
times  a  week ;  and,  in  this  time,  there  were  between 
thirty  and  forty  deaths.  At  the  end  of  this  period,  the 
management  was  changed,  in  these  respects: — daily 
ablutions  of  the  whole  body  were  practised ;  bread  of 
unbolted  flour  was  substituted  for  that  of  fine  wheat ; 
and  all  animal  food  was  banished.  More  attention  also 
was  paid  to  clothing,  bedding,  fresh  air,  and  exercise. 
The  result  was,  that  the  nursery  was  vacated  ;  the  nurse 
and  physician  were  no  longer  needed ;  and,  for  two  years, 
not  a  single  case  of  sickness  or  death  occurred.  The 

*  The  writer  is  not  an  advocate  for  total  abstinence  from  animal 
food.  She  coincides  with  the  best  authorities,  in  thinking  that  adults 
eat  too  much ;  that  children,  while  growing,  should  eat  very  little 
and  quite  young  children,  none  at  all. 


ON  THE  MANAGEMENT  OF  YOUNG  CHILDREN.       223 

third  year,  also,  there  were  no  deaths,  except  those  of 
two  idiots  and  one  other  child,  all  of  whom  were  new 
inmates,  who  had  not  been  subjected  to  this  treatment. 
The  teachers  of  the  children  also  testified,  that  there 
was  a  manifest  increase  of  intellectual  vigor  and  ac- 
tivity, while  there  was  much  less  irritability  of  temper. 

Let  parents,  nurses,  and  teachers,  reflect  on  the 
above  statement,  and  bear  in  mind,  that  stupidity  of 
intellect,  and  irritability  of  temper,  as  well  as  ill  health, 
are  often  caused  by  the  mismanagement  of  the  nursery, 
in  regard  to  the  physical  training  of  children.  There 
is  probably  no  practice,  more  deleterious,  than  that  of 
allowing  children  to  eat  at  short  intervals,  through  the 
day.  As  the  stomach  is  thus  kept  constantly  at  work, 
with  no  time  for  repose,  its  functions  are  deranged,  and 
a  weak  or  disordered  stomach  is  the  frequent  result. 
Children  should  be  required  to  keep  cakes,  nuts,  and 
other  good  things  which  they  may  have  to  eat,  till  just 
before  a  meal,  and  then  they  will  form  a  part  of  their 
regular  supply.  This  is  better,  than  to  wait  till  after 
their  hunger  is  satisfied  by  food,  when  they  will  eat 
their  niceties  merely  to  gratify  the  palate,  and  thus 
overload  the  stomach. 

In  regard  to  the  intellectual  training  of  young 
children,  some  modification  in  the  common  practice 
is  necessary,  with  reference  to  their  physical  wellbeing. 
More  care  is  needful,  in  providing  well-ventilated 
schoolrooms,  and  in  securing  more  time  for  sports  in 
the  open  air,  during  school  hours.  It  is  very  important, 
to  most  mothers,  that  their  young  children  should  be 
removed  from  their  care,  during  the  six  school  hours ; 
and  it  is  very  useful,  to  quite  young  children,  to  be  sub- 
jected to  the  discipline  of  a  school,  and  to  intercourse 
with  other  children  of  their  own  age.  And,  with  a 
suitable  teacher,  it  is  no  matter  how  early  children  are 
sent  to  school,  provided  their  health  is  not  endangered, 
by  impure  air,  too  much  confinement,  and  too  great 
oriental  stimulus. 

In  regard  to  the  formation  of  the  moral  character,  it 


224       ON  THE  MANAGEMENT  OF  YOUNG  CHILDREN 

has  been  too  much  the  case,  that  the  discipline  of  the 
nursery  has  consisted  of  disconnected  efforts  to  make 
children  either  do,  or  refrain  from  doing,  certain  par- 
ticular acts.  Do  this,  and  be  rewarded ;  do  that,  and 
be  punished ;  is  the  ordinary  routine  of  family  govern 
ment. 

But  children  can  be  very  early  taught,  that  their  hap 
piness,  both  now  and  hereafter,  depends  on  the  forma 
tion  of  habits  of  submission,  self-denial,  and  benevolence. 
And  all  the  discipline  of  the  nursery  can  be  conducted 
by  the  parents,  not  only  with  this  general  aim  in  their 
own  minds,  but  also  with  the  same  object  daily  set  be- 
fore the  minds  of  the  children.  Whenever  their  wishes 
are  crossed,  or  their  wills  subdued,  they  can  be  taught, 
that  all  this  is  done,  not  merely  to  please  the  parent,  or 
to  secure  some  good  to  themselves  or  to  others ;  but  as 
a  part  of  that  merciful  training,  which  is  designed  to 
form  such  a  character,  and  such  habits,  that  they  can 
hereafter  find  their  chief  happiness  in  giving  up  their 
will  to  God,  and  in  living  to  do  good  to  others,  instead 
of  living  merely  to  please  themselves. 

It  can  be  pointed  out  to  them,  that  they  must  always 
submit  their  will  to  the  will  of  God,  or  else  be  con- 
tinually miserable.  It  can  be  shown,  how  in  the 
nursery,  and  in  the  school,  and  through  all  future 
days,  a  child  must  practise  the  giving  up  of  his  will 
and  wishes,  when  they  interfere  with  the  rights  and 
comfort  of  others ;  and  how  important  it  is,  early  to 
learn  to  do  this,  so  that  it  will,  by  habit,  become  easy 
and  agreeable.  It  can  be  shown,  how  children,  who 
are  indulged  in  all  their  wishes,  and  who  are  never  ac- 
customed to  any  self-denial,  always  find  it  hard  to  re- 
frain from  what  injures  themselves  and  others.  It  can 
be  shown,  also,  how  important  it  is,  for  every  person,  to 
form  such  habits  of  benevolence,  towards  others,  that 
self-denial,  in  doing  good,  will  become  easy. 

Parents  have  learned,  by  experience,  that  children 
can  be  constrained,  by  authority  and  penalties,  to  exer- 
cise self-denial,  for  their  own  good,  till  a  habit  is  formed, 


UN  THE  MANAGEMENT  OF  YOUNG  CHILDREN.    225 

which  makes  the  duty  comparatively  easy.  For  example, 
welltrained  children  can  be  accustomed  to  deny  them- 
selves tempting  articles  of  food,  which  are  injurious, 
until  the  practice  ceases  to  be  painful  and  difficult. 
Whereas,  an  indulged  child  would  be  thrown  into  fits 
of  anger  or  discontent,  when  its  wishes  were  crossed,  by 
restraints  of  this  kind. 

But  it  has  not  been  so  readily  discerned,  that  the 
same  method  is  needful,  in  order  to  form  a  habit  of 
self-denial,  in  doing  good  to  others.  It  has  been  sup- 
posed, that,  while  children  must  be  forced,  by  authority, 
to  be  self-denying  and  prudent,  in  regard  to  their  own 
happiness,  it  may  properly  be  left  to  their  own  discre- 
tion, whether  they  will  practise  any  self-denial  in  doing 
good  to  others.  But  the  more  difficult  a  duty  is,  the 
greater  is  the  need  of  parental  authority,  in  forming  a 
habit,  which  will  make  that  duty  easy. 

In  order  to  secure  this,  some  parents  turn  their  ear 
liest  efforts  to  this  object.  They  require  the  young 
child  always  to  offer  to  others  a  part  of  every  thing 
which  it  receives  ;  always  to  comply  with  all  reasonable 
requests  of  others  for  service ;  and  often  to  practise  little 
acts  of  self-denial,  in  order  to  secure  some  enjoyment 
for  others.  If  one  child  receives  a  present  of  some 
nicety,  he  is  required  to  share  it  with  all  his  brothers 
and  sisters.  If  one  asks  his  brother  to  help  him  in 
some  sport,  and  is  met  with  a  denial,  the  parent  re- 
quires the  unwilling  child  to  act  benevolently,  and  give 
up  some  of  his  time  to  increase  his  brother's  enjoyment. 
Of  course,  in  such  an  effort  as  this,  discretion  must  be 
used,  as  to  the  frequency  and  extent  of  the  exercise  of 
authority,  to  induce  a  habit  of  benevolence.  But,  where 
parents  deliberately  aim  at  such  an  object,  and  wisely 
conduct  their  instructions  and  discipline  to  secure  it> 
very  much  will  be  accomplished. 

Religious  influence  should  be  brought  to  bear  directly 
upon  this  point.  In  the  very  beginning  of  religious  in- 
struction, Jesus  Christ  should  be  presented  to  the  child, 
as  that  great  and  good  Being,  who  came  into  this 


£26         ON  THE  MANAGEMENT  OF  YOUNG  CHILDREN. 

world  to  teach  children  how  to  be  happy,  both  here  and 
hereafter.  He,  who  made  it  His  meat  ai  d  drink  to  do 
the  will  of  His  Heavenly  Father ;  who,  in  the  humblest 
station,  and  most  destitute  condition,  dei  ied  Himself, 
daily,  and  went  about  doing  good ;  should  constantly 
be  presented  as  the  object  of  their  imitation.  And  as 
nothing  so  strongly  influences  the  minds  of  children,  as 
the  sympathy  and  example  of  a  present  friend,  all  those, 
who  believe  Him  to  be  an  ever-present  Saviour,  should 
avail  themselves  of  this  powerful  aid.  Under  such 
training,  Jesus  Christ  should  be  constantly  presented 
to  them,  as  their  ever- watchful,  tender,  and  sympa- 
thizing friend.  If  the  abstract  idea  of  an  unembodied 
Spirit  with  the  majestic  attributes  of  Deity,  be  difficult 
for  the  mind  of  infancy  to  grasp,  the  simple,  the  gentle 
the  lovely,  character  of  Christ,  is  exactly  adapted  to  the 
wants  and  comprehension  of  a  child.  In  this  view, 
how  touching  is  the  language  of  the  Saviour,  to  His 
misjudging  disciples,  "  Suffer  the  little  children  to  come 
unto  me !  " 

In  regard  to  forming  habits  of  obedience,  there  have 
been  two  extremes,  both  of  which  need  to  be  shunned. 
One  is,  a  stern  and  unsympathizing  maintenance  of 
parental  authority,  demanding  perfect  and  constant 
obedience,  without  any  attempt  to  convince  a  child  of 
the  propriety  and  benevolence  of  the  requisitions,  and 
without  any  manifestation  of  sympathy  and  tenderness 
for  the  pain  and  difficulties  which  are  to  be  met. 
Under  such  discipline,  children  grow  up  to  fear  their 
parents,  rather  than  to  love  and  trust  them ;  while  some 
of  the  most  valuable  principles  of  character,  are  chilled, 
or  forever  blasted. 

In  shunning  this  danger,  other  parents  pass  to  the 
opposite  extreme.  They  put  themselves  too  much  on 
the  footing  of  equals  with  their  children,  as  if  little  were 
due  to  superiority  of  relation,  age,  and  experience. 
Nothing  is  exacted,  without  the  implied  concession 
that  the  child  is  to  be  a  judge  of  the  propriety  of  the 


ON  THE  MANAGEMENT  OF  YOUNG  CHILDREN.        227 

requisition ;  and  reason  and  persuasion  are  employed, 
where  simple  command  and  obedience  would  be  fai 
better.  This  system  produces  a  most  pernicious  in- 
fluence. Children  soon  perceive  the  position,  thus 
allowed  them,  and  take  every  advantage  of  it.  They 
soon  learn  to  dispute  parental  requirements,  acquire 
habits  of  forwardness  and  conceit,  assume  disrespectful 
manners  and  address,  maintain  their  views  with  perti- 
nacity, and  yield  to  authority  with  ill-humor  and  re- 
sentment, as  if  their  rights  were  infringed. 

The  medium  course,  is,  for  the  parent  to  take  the 
attitude  of  a  superior,  in  age,  knowledge,  and  relation, 
who  has  a  perfect  right  to  control  every  action  of  the 
child,  and  that,  too,  without  giving  any  reason  for  the 
requisitions.  '•'  Obey,  because  your  parent  commands" 
is  always  a  proper  and  sufficient  reason. 

But  care  should  be  taken,  to  convince  the  child  that 
the  parent  is  conducting  a  course  of  discipline,  designed 
to  make  him  happy ;  and  in  forming  habits  of  impli- 
cit obedience,  self-denial,  and  benevolence,  the  child 
should  have  the  reasons  for  most  requisitions  kindly 
stated;  never,  however,  on  the  demand  of  it,  from 
the  child,  as  a  right,  but  as  an  act  of  kindness  from  the 
parent. 

It  is  impossible  to  govern  children  properly,  especially 
those  of  strong  and  sensitive  feelings,  without  a  con- 
stant effort  to  appreciate  the  value  which  they  attach 
to  their  enjoyments  and  pursuits.  A  lady,  of  great 
strength  of  mind  and  sensibility,  once  told  the  writer, 
that  one  of  the  most  acute  periods  of  suffering,  in  her 
whole  life,  was  occasioned  by  the  burning  up  of  sorn^ 
milkweed-silk,  by  her  mother.  The  child  had  found, 
for  the  first  time,  some  of  this  shining  and  beautiful 
substance  ;  was  filled  with  delight  at  her  discovery ; 
was  arranging  it  in  parcels;  planning  its  future  use^, 
and  her  pleasure  in  showing  it  to  her  companions, — 
when  her  mother,  finding  it  strewed  over  the  carpet, 
hastily  swept  it  into  the  fire,  and  that,  too,  with  so  in- 
different an  air,  that  the  child  fled  away,  almost  dis- 


228        ON  THE  MANAGEMENT  OF  YOUNG  CHILDREN. 

tracted  with  grief  and  disappointment.  The  mother 
little  realized  the  pain  she  had  inflicted,  but  the  child 
felt  the  unkindness,  so  severely,  that  for  several  days 
her  mother  was  an  object  almost  of  aversion. 

While,  therefore,  the  parent  needs  to  carry  on  a 
steady  course,  which  will  oblige  the  child  always  to 
give  up  its  will,  whenever  its  own  good,  or  the  greatei 
claims  of  others,  require  it,  this  should  be  constantly 
connected  with  the  expression  of  a  tender  sympathy, 
for  the  trials  and  disappointments  thus  inflicted.  Those, 
who  will  join  with  children,  and  help  them  along  in 
their  sports,  will  learn,  by  this  mode,  to  understand  the 
feelings  and  interests  of  childhood  ;  while,  at  the  same 
time,  they  secure  a  degree  of  confidence  and  affection, 
which  cannot  be  gained  so  easily,  in  any  other  way. 
And  it  is  to  be  regretted,  that  parents  so  often  relin 
quish  this  most  powerful  mode  of  influence,  to  domes- 
tics and  playmates,  who  often  use  it  in  the  most  per- 
nicious manner.  In  joining  in  such  sports,  older 
persons  should  never  relinquish  the  attitude  of  supe- 
riors, or  allow  disrespectful  manners  or  address.  And 
respectful  deportment  is  never  more  cheerfully  accorded, 
than  in  seasons,  when  young  hearts  are  pleased,  and 
made  grateful,  by  having  their  tastes  and  enjoyments  so 
efficiently  promoted. 

Next  to  the  want  of  all  government,  the  two  most 
fruitful  sources  of  evil  to  children,  are,  unsteadiness  in 
government,  and  over-government.  Most  of  the  cases, 
in  which  the  children  of  sensible  and  conscientious 
parents  turn  out  badly,  result  from  one  or  the  other  of 
these  causes.  In  cases  of  unsteady  government,  either 
one  parent  is  very  strict,  severe,  and  unbending,  and 
the  other  excessively  indulgent,  or  else  the  parents  are 
sometimes  very  strict  and  decided,  and  at  other  times 
allow  disobedience  to  go  unpunished.  In  such  cases, 
children,  never  knowing  exactly  when  they  can  escape 
with  impunity,  are  constantly  tempted  to  make  the 
trial. 

The  bad  effects  of  this,  can  be  better  appreciated,  bj 


ON  THE  MANAGEMENT  OF  YOUNG  CHILDREN.        22f 

reference  to  one  important  principle  of  the  mind.  I< 
is  found  to  be  universally  true,  that,  when  any  object 
of  desire  is  put  entirely  beyond  the  reach  of  hope  OL 
expectation,  the  mind  very  soon  ceases  to  long  for  it, 
and  turns  to  other  objects  of  pursuit.  But,  so  long  a; 
the  mind  is  hoping  for  some  good,  and  making  efforts 
to  obtain  it,  any  opposition,  excites  irritable  feelings 
Let  the  object  be  put  entirely  beyond  all  hope,  and  thii 
irritation  soon  ceases.  In  consequence  of  this  principle, 
those  children,  who  are  under  the  care  of  persons  of 
steady  and  decided  government,  know,  that  whenevei 
a  thing  is  forbidden  or  denied,  it  is  out  of  the  reach  of 
hope  ;  the  desire,  therefore,  soon  ceases,  and  they  turn  to 
other  objects.  But  the  children  of  undecided,  or  of 
over-indulgent  parents,  never  enjoy  this  preserving  aid 
When  a  thing  is  denied,  they  never  know  but  either 
coaxing  may  win  it,  or  disobedience  secure  it  without 
any  penalty,  and  so  they  are  kept  in  that  state  of  hope 
and  anxiety,  which  produces  irritation,  and  tempts  to 
insubordination.  The  children  of  very  indulgent  pa- 
rents, and  of  those  who  are  undecided  and  unsteady 
in  government,  are  very  apt  to  become  fretful,  irritable, 
and  fractious. 

Another  class  of  persons,  in  shunning  this  evil,  go  to 
the  other  extreme,  and  are  very  strict  and  pertinacious, 
in  regard  to  every  requisition.  With  them,  fault-find- 
ing and  penalties  abound,  until  the  children  are  either 
hardened  into  indifference  of  feeling,  and  obtuseness  of 
conscience,  or  else  become  excessively  irritable,  or  mis- 
anthropic. 

It  demands  great  wisdom,  patience,  and  self-control, 
to  escape  these  two  extremes.  In  aiming  at  this,  there 
are  parents,  who  have  found  the  following  maxims  of 
very  great  value.  First,  Avoid,  as  much  as  possible, 
the  multiplication  of  rules  and  absolute  commands. 
Instead  of  this,  take  the  attitude  of  advisers.  "  My 
child,  this  is  improper,  I  wish  you  would  remember  not 
to  do  it."  This  mode  of  address  answers  for  all  the 
"ittle  acts  of  heedlessness,  awkwardness,  or  ill-manners. 
20  D.  E. 


230         ON  THE  MANAGEMENT  OF  YOUNG  CHILDREN. 

so  frequently  occurring,  with  children.  There  are 
cases,  when  direct  and  distinct  commands  are  needful ; 
and,  in  such  cases,  a  penalty  for  disobedience  should 
be  as  steady  and  sure  as  the  laws  of  Nature.  Where 
such  steadiness,  and  certainty  of  penalty,  attend  dis- 
obedience, children  no  more  think  of  disobeying,  than 
they  do  of  putting  their  fingers  in  a  burning  candle. 

The  next  maxim,  is,  Govern  by  rewards,  more 
than  by  penalties.  Such  faults  as  wilful  disobedience, 
lying,  dishonesty,  and  indecent  or  profane  language, 
should  be  punished  with  severe  penalties,  after  a  child 
has  been  fully  instructed  in  the  evil  of  such  practices. 
But  all  the  constantly-recurring  faults  of  the  nursery, 
such  as  ill-humor,  quarrelling,  carelessness,  and  ill- 
manners,  may,  in  a  great  many  cases,  be  regulated  by 
gentle  and  kind  remonstrances,  and  by  the  offer  of 
some  reward  for  persevering  efforts  to  form  a  good 
habit.  It  is  very  injurious  and  degrading  to  any  mind, 
to  be  kept  under  the  constant  fear  of  penalties.  Love 
and  hope  are  the  principles  that  should  be  mainly  relied 
on,  in  forming  the  habits  of  childhood. 

Another  maxim,  and  perhaps  the  most  difficult,  is, 
Do  not  govern  by  the  aid  of  severe  and  angry  tones. 
A  single  example  will  be  given  to  illustrate  this  maxim. 
A  child  is  disposed  to  talk  and  amuse  itself,  at  table. 
The  mother  requests  it  to  be  silent,  except  when  need- 
ing to  ask  for  food,  or  when  spoken  to  by  its  older 
friends.  It  constantly  forgets.  The  mother,  instead 
of  rebuking,  in  an  impatient  tone,  says,  "  My  child,  you 
must  remember  not  to  talk.  I  will  remind  you  of  it  four 
times  more,  and  after  that,  whenever  you  forget,  you 
must  leave  the  table,  and  wait  till  we  are  done."  If 
the  mother  is  steady  in  her  government,  it  is  not  prob- 
able that  she  will  have  to  apply  this  slight  penalty  more 
than  once  or  twice.  This  method  is  far  more  effectual, 
than  the  use  of  sharp  and  severe  tones,  to  secure  atten- 
tion and  recollection,  and  often  answers  the  purpose,  as 
well  as  offering  some  reward. 

The  writer  has  been  in  some  families,   where   the 


ON  THE  MANAGEMENT  OF  YOUNG  CHILDREN.         231 

most  efficient  and  steady  government  has  been  sus- 
tained, without  the  use  of  a  cross  or  angry  tone  ;  and 
in  others,  where  a  far  less  efficient  discipline  was  kept 
up,  by  frequent  severe  rebukes  and  angry  remon- 
strances. In  the  first  case,  the  children  followed  the 
example  set  them,  and  seldom  used  severe  tones  to 
each  other  ;  in  the  latter,  the  method  employed  by  the 
parents,  was  imitated  by  the  children ;  and  cross  words 
and  angry  tones  resounded  from  morning  till  night,  in 
every  portion  of  the  household. 

Another  important  maxim,  is,  Try  to  keep  children 
in  a  happy  state  of  mind.  Every  one  knows,  by  expe- 
rience, that  it  is  easier  to  do  right,  and  submit  to  rule, 
when  cheerful  and  happy,  than  when  irritated.  This 
is  peculiarly  true  of  children  ;  and  a  wise  mother,  when 
she  finds  her  child  fretful  and  impatient,  and  thus  con- 
stantly doing  wrong,  will  often  remedy  the  whole  dif- 
ficulty, by  telling  some  amusing  story,  or  by  getting  the 
child  engaged  in  some  amusing  sport.  This  strongly 
shows  the  importance  of  learning  to  govern  children 
without  the  employment  of  angry  tones,  which  always 
produce  irritation. 

Children  of  active,  heedless  temperament,  or  those 
who  are  odd,  awkward,  or  unsuitable,  in  their  remarks 
and  deportment,  are  often  essentially  injured,  by  a  want 
of  patience  and  self-control  in  those  who  govern  them. 
Such  children,  often  possess  a  morbid  sensibility,  which 
they  strive  to  conceal,  or  a  desire  of  love  and  approba- 
tion, which  preys  like  a  famine  on  the  soul.  And  yet, 
they  become  objects  of  ridicule  and  rebuke,  to  almost 
every  member  of  the  family,  until  their  sensibilities  are 
tortured  into  obtuseness  or  misanthropy.  Such  chil 
dren,  above  all  others,  need  tenderness  and  sympathy. 
A  thousand  instances  of  mistake  or  forgetfulness  should 
be  passed  over,  in  silence,  while  opportunities  for  com- 
mendation and  encouragement  should  be  diligently 
sought. 

In  regard  to  the  formation  of  habits  of  self-denial,  in 
childhood,  it  is  astonishing  to  see  how  parents,  who  are 


232        ON  THE  MANAGEMENT  OF  YOUNG  CHILDREN. 

very  sensible,  often  seem  to  regard  this  matter.  Instead 
of  inuring  their  children  to  this  duty,  in  early  life,  so 
that  by  habit  it  may  be  made  easy  in  after-days,  they 
seem  to  be  studiously,  seeking  to  cut  them  off,  from 
every  chance  to  secure  such  a  preparation.  Every 
wish  of  the  child  is  studiously  gratified  ;  and,  where  a 
necessity  exists,  of  crossing  its  wishes,  some  compen- 
sating pleasure  is  offered,  in  return.  Such  parents, 
often  maintain  that  nothing  shall  be  put  on  their  table, 
which  their  children  may  not  join  them  in  eating.  But 
where,  so  easily  and  surely  as  at  the  daily  meal,  can  that 
habit  of  self-denial  be  formed,  which  is  so  needful  in  gov- 
erning the  appetites,  and  which  children  must  acquire, 
or  be  ruined?  The  food  which  is  proper  for  grown 
persons,  is  often  unsuitable  for  children ;  and  this  is 
a  sufficient  reason  for  accustoming  them  to  see  others 
partake  of  delicacies,  which  they  must  not  share.  Re- 
quiring children  to  wait  till  others  are  helped,  and  to 
refrain  from  conversation  at  table,  except  when  ad- 
dressed by  their  elders,  is  another  mode  of  forming 
habits  of  self-denial  and  self-control.  Requiring  them 
to  help  others,  first,  and  to  offer  the  best  to  others,  has 
a  similar  influence. 

In  forming  the  moral  habits  of  children,  it  is  wise  to 
take  into  account  the  peculiar  temptations  to  which 
they  are  to  be  exposed.  The  people  of  this  Nation  are 
eminently  a  trafficking  people  ;  and  the  present  standard 
of  honesty,  as  to  trade  and  debts,  is  very  low,  and  every 
year  seems  sinking  still  lower.  It  is,  therefore,  pre- 
eminently important,  that  children  should  be  trained  to 
strict  honesty.,  both  in  word  and  deed.  It  is  not  merely 
teaching  children  to  avoid  absolute  lying,  which  is 
needed.  All  kinds  of  deceit  should  be  guarded  against ; 
and  all  kinds  of  little  dishonest  practices  be  strenuously 
opposed.  A  child  should  be  brought  up  with  the  de- 
termined principle,  never  to  run  in  debt,  but  to  be  con- 
tent to  live  in  an  humbler  way,  in  order  to  secure  thai 
true  independence,  which  should  be  the  noblest  dis- 
tinction of  an  American  citizei\ 


ON  THE  MANAGEMENT  OF  YOUNG  CHILDREN.         233 

There  is  no  more  important  duty,  devolving  upon  8 
mother,  than  the  cultivation  of  habits  of  modesty  and 
propriety  in  young  children.  All  indecorous  words  01 
deportment,  should  be  carefully  restrained ;  and  delicacy 
and  reserve  studiously  cherished.  It  is  a  common  no- 
tion, that  it  is  important  to  secure  these  virtues  to  one 
sex,  more  than  to  the  other;  and,  by  a  strange  incon- 
sistency, the  sex  most  exposed  to  danger,  is  the  one 
selected  as  least  needing  care.  But  a  wise  mother  will 
be  especially  careful,  that  her  sons  are  trained  to  modesty 
and  purity  of  mind. 

But  few  mothers  are  sufficiently  aware  of  the  dread- 
ful penalties  which  often  result  from  indulged  impurity 
of  thought.  If  children,  in  future  life,  can  be  preserved 
from  licentious  associates,  it  is  supposed  that  their  safety 
is  secured.  But  the  records  of  our  insane  retreats,  and 
the  pages  of  medical  writers,  teach,  that  even  in  solitude, 
and  without  being  aware  of  the  sin  or  the  danger,  chil- 
dren may  inflict  evils  on  themselves,  which  not  unfre- 
quently  terminate  in  disease,  delirium,  and  death. 
Every  mother  and  every  teacher,  therefore,  carefully 
avoiding  all  explanation  of  the  mystery,  should  teach 
the  young,  that  the  indulgence  of  impure  thoughts  and 
actions,  is  visited  by  the  most  awful  and  terrific  penal- 
ties. Disclosing  the  details  of  vice,  in  order  to  awaken 
dread  of  its  penalties,  is  a  most  dangerous  experiment, 
and  often  leads  to  the  very  evils  feared.  The  attempts 
made,  in  late  years,  to  guard  children  from  future  dan- 
gers, by  circulating  papers,  and  books  of  warning  and 
information,  have  led  to  such  frightful  results,  that  it  is 
hoped  the  experiment  will  never  again  be  pursued. 
The  safest  course,  is,  to  cultivate  habits  of  modesty  and 
delicacy,  and  to  teach,  that  all  impure  thoughts,  words, 
and  actions,  are  forbidden  by  God,  and  are  often  visited 
by  the  most  dreadful  punishment.  At  the  same  time, 
it  is  important  for  mothers  to  protect  the  young  mind 
from  false  notions  of  delicacy.  It  should  be  shown, 
that  whatever  is  necessary,  to  save  from  suffering  01 
danger,  must  be  met,  without  shame  or  aversion ;  and 
20*  •  D.  P. 


234          ON  THE  CARE  OF  THE  SICK. 

that  nil,  which  God  has  instituted,  is  wise,  and  right, 
and  pure. 

It  is  in  reference  to  these  dangers,  that  mothers  and 
teachers  should. carefully  guard  the  young  from  those 
highly-wrought  fictions,  which  lead  the  imagination 
astray ;  and  especially  from  that  class  of  licentious 
works,  made  interesting  by  genius  and  taste,  which 
have  flooded  this  Country,  and  which  are  often  found 
on  the  parlor  table,  even  of  moral  and  Christian  people. 
Of  this  class,  the  writings  of  Bulwer  stand  conspicuous. 
The  only  difference,  between  some  of  his  works  and 
the  obscene  prints,  for  vending  which  men  suffer  the 
penalties  of  the  law,  is,  that  the  last  are  so  gross,  as  to 
revolt  the  taste  and  startle  the  mind  to  resistance,  while 
Bulwer  presents  the  same  ideas,  so  clothed  in  the  fas- 
cinations of  taste  and  genius,  as  most  insidiously  to 
seduce  the  unwary.  It  seems  to  be  the  chief  aim  of 
this  licentious  writer,  to  make  thieves,  murderers,  and 
adulterers,  appear  beautiful,  refined,  and  interesting. 
It  is  time  that  all  virtuous  persons  in  the  community 
should  rise  in  indignation,  not  only  against  the  writers, 
but  the  venders  of  such  poison. 


CHAPTER   XXI. 

ON    THE    CARE    OP    THE    SICK. 

EVERY  woman  who  has  the  care  of  young  children, 
or  of  a  large  family,  is  frequently  called  upon,  to  advise 
what  shall  be  done,  for  some  one  who  is  indisposed ; 
and  often,  in  circumstances  where  she  must  trust  solely 
to  her  own  judgement.  In  such  cases,  some  err,  by 
neglecting  to  do  any  thing  at  all,  till  the  patient  is  quite 
sick ;  but  a  still  greater  number  err,  from  excessive  and 
injurious  dosing. 

The  two  great  causes  of  the  ordinary  slight  attacks 
of  illness,  in  a  family,  are,  sudden  chills,  which  close 


ON    THE    CARE    OF    THE    SICK.  235 

the  pores  of  the  skin,  and  thus  affect  the  throat,  lungs, 
or  bowels  ;  and  the  excessive  or  improper  use  of  food 
In  most  cases,  of  illness  from  the  first  cause,  bathing 
the  feet,  and  some  aperient  drink  to  induce  perspiration, 
are  suitable  remedies.  A  slight  cathartic,  also,  is  often 
serviceable.  In  case  of  illness  from  improper  food,  or 
sxcess  in  eating,  fasting,  for  one  or  two  meals,  to  give 
the  system  time  and  chance  to  relieve  itself,  is  the 
safest  remedy.  Sometimes,  a  gentle  cathartic  may  be 
needful ;  but  it  is  best  first  to  try  fasting. 

The  following  extract  from  a  discourse  of  Dr.  Burne, 
oefore  the  London  Medical  Society,  contains  important 
information.  "  In  civilized  life,  the  causes,  which  are 
most  generally  and  continually  operating  in  the  produc- 
tion of  diseases,  are,  affections  of  the  mind,  improper 
diet,  and  retention  of  the  intestinal  excretions.  The 
undue  retention  of  excrementitious  matter,  allows  of  the 
absorption  of  its  more  liquid  parts,  which  is  a  cause  of 
great  impurity  to  the  blood,  and  the  excretions,,  thus 
rendered  hard  and  knotty,  act  more  or  less  as  extrane- 
ous substances,  and,  by  their  irritation,  produce  a  de- 
termination of  blood  to  the  intestines  and  to  the  neigh 
boring  viscera,  which  ultimately  ends  in  inflammation. 
It  also  has  a  great  effect  on  the  whole  system ;  causes 
a  determination  of  blood  to  the  head,  which  oppresses 
the  brain  and  dejects  the  mind  ;  deranges  the  functions 
of  the  stomach ;  causes  flatulency ;  and  produces  a 
general  state  of  discomfort." 

Dr.  Combe  remarks,  on  this  subject,  "  In  the  natural 
and  healthy  state,  under  a  proper  system  of  diet,  and 
with  sufficient  exercise,  the  bowels  are  relieved  regular- 
ly, once  every  day."  Habit  "  is  powerful  in  modifying 
the  result,  and  in  sustaining  healthy  action  when  once 
fairly  established.  Hence  the  obvious  advantage  of 
observing  as  much  regularity,  in  relieving  the  system, 
as  in  taking  our  meals."  It  is  often  the  case  that  so- 
liciting Nature  at  a  regular  period,  once  a  day,  will 
remedy  constipation,  without  medicine,  and  induce  a 
regular  and  healthy  state  of  the  bowels.  "  When, 


236          ON  THE  CARE  OF  THE  SICK. 

however,  as  most  frequently  happens,  the  constipation 
arises  from  the  absence  of  all  assistance  from  the  ab- 
dominal and  respiratory  muscles,  the  first  step  to  be 
taken,  is,  again  to  solicit  their  aid;  first,  by  remov- 
ing all  impediments  to  free  respiration,  such  as  stays, 
waistbands  and  belts ;  secondly,  by  resorting  to  such 
active  exercises,  as  shall  call  the  muscles  -into  full  and 
regular  action ;  and,  lastly,  by  proportioning  the  quan 
tity  of  food  to  the  wants  of  the  system,  and  the  con- 
dition of  the  digestive  organs.  If  we  employ  these 
means,  systematically  and  perseveringly,  we  shall  rarely 
fail  in  at  last  restoring  the  healthy  action  of  the  bowels, 
with  little  aid  from  medicine.  But  if  we  neglect  these 
modes,  we  may  go  on,  for  years,  adding  pill  to  pill,  and 
dose  to  dose,  without  ever  attaining  the  end  at  which 
we  aim."  There  is  no  point,  in  which  a  woman  needs 
more  knowledge  and  discretion,  than  in  administering 
remedies  for  what  seem  slight  attacks,  which  are  not 
supposed  to  require  the  attention  of  a  physician.  It  is 
little  realized,  that  purgative  drugs  are  unnatural  modes 
of  stimulating  the  internal  organs,  tending  to  exhaust 
them  of  their  secretions,  and  to  debilitate  and  disturb 
the  animal  economy.  For  this  reason,  they  should  be 
used  as  little  as  possible  ;  and  fasting,  and  perspiration, 
and  the  other  methods  pointed  out,  should  always  be 
first  resorted  to.  When  medicine  must  be  given,  it 
should  be  borne  in  mind,  that  there  are  various  classes 
of  purgatives,  which  produce  very  diverse  effects. 
Some,  like  salts,  operate  to  thin  the  blood,  and  re- 
duce the  system ;  others  are  stimulating ;  and  others 
have  a  peculiar  operation  on  certain  organs.  Of  course, 
great  discrimination  and  knowledge  is  needed,  in  order 
to  select  the  kind,  which  is  suitable  to  the  particular 
disease,  or  to  the  particular  constitution  of  the  invalid. 
This  shows  the  folly  of  using  the  many  kinds  of  pills, 
and  other  quack  medicines,  where  no  knowledge  can 
be  had  of  their  composition.  Pills  which  are  good  for 
one  kind  of  disease,  might  operate  as  poison  in  another 
state  of  the  system.  It  is  wise  to  keep  always  on  hand 


ON    THE    CARE    OF    THE    SICK.  231 

some  simple  cathartic,  for  family  use,  in  slight  attacks ; 
and  always  to  resort  to  medical  advice,  whenever  pow- 
erful remedies  seem  to  be  demanded.*  It  is  very  com- 
mon, in  cases  of  colds  which  affect  the  lungs  or  throat, 
to  continue  to  try  one  dose  after  another,  for  relief.  It 
will  be  well  to  bear  in  mind,  at  such  times,  that  all 
which  goes  into  the  stomach,  must  be  first  absorbed 
into  the  blood,  before  it  can  reach  the  diseased  part ; 
and  that  there  is  some  danger  of  injuring  the  stomach, 
or  other  parts  of  the  system,  by  such  a  variety  of  doses, 
many  of  which,  it  is  probable,  will  be  directly  contra- 
dictory in  their  nature,  and  thus  neutralize  any  supposed 
benefit  they  might  separately  impart. 

It  is  very  unwise,  to  tempt  the  appetite  of  a  person 
who  is  indisposed.  The  cessation  of  appetite  is  the 
warning  of  Nature,  that  the  system  is  in  such  a  state, 
that  food  cannot  be  digested. 

The  following  suggestions  may  be  found  useful,  in 
regard  to  nursing  the  sick.  As  nothing  contributes 
more  to  the  restoration  of  health,  than  pure  air,  it 
should  be  a  primary  object,  to  keep  a  sick-room  well 
ventilated.  At  least  twice  in  the  twenty-four  hours, 
the  patient  should  be  well  covered,  and  fresh  air  freely 
admitted  from  out  of  doors.  After  this,  if  need  be, 
the  room  should  be  restored  to  a  proper  temperature, 
by  the  aid  of  a  fire.  Bedding  and  clothing  should 
also  be  well  aired,  and  frequently  changed ;  as  the 
exhalations  from  the  body,  in  sickness,  are  peculiarly 
deleterious.  Frequent  ablutions,  of  the  whole  body,  if 
possible,  are  very  useful ;  and  for  these,  warm  water 
may  be  employed. 

*  The  following  electuary,  by  a  distinguished  physician,  is  used  by 
many  friends  of  the  writer,  as  a  standing  resort,  in  cases  of  constipa- 
tion, or  where  a  gentle  cathartic  is  needed.  One  recommendation  of 
it,  is,  that  children  always  love  it,  and  eat  the  pills  as  "good  plums." 

Two  ounces  of  powdered  Senna ;  one  ounce  of  Cream  of  Tartar ; 
one  ounce  of  Sulphur;  mixed  with  sufficient  Confection  of  Senna, 
to  form  an  electuary.  Make  this  into  pills,  of  the  size  of  peas,  and 
give  a  young  child  two  or  three,  as  the  case  may  be.  Taking  three 
pills,  every  night,  will  generally  relieve  constipation  in  an  adult 


ON    THE    CARE    OF    THE    SICK. 

The  following,  are  useful  directions  foi  dressing  a 
blister.  Spread  thinly,  on  a  linen  cloth,  an  ointment, 
composed  of  one  third  of  beeswax  to  two  thirds  of 
tallow ;  lay  this  upon  a  linen  cloth,  folded  many  times. 
With  a  sharp  pair  of  scissors,  make  an  aperture  in  the 
lower  part  of  the  bag  of  water,  with  a  little  hole,  above, 
to  give  it  vent.  Break  the  raised  skin  as  little  as  pos- 
sible. Lay  on  the  cloth,  spread  as  directed.  The  blis- 
ter, at  first,  should  be  dressed  as  often  as  three  times  in 
a  day,  and  the  dressing  renewed  each  time. 

A.  sick-room  should  always  be  kept  very  neat,  and  in 
perfect  order ;  and  all  haste,  noise,  and  bustle,  should 
be  avoided.  In  order  to  secure  neatness,  order,  and 
quiet,  in  case  of  long  illness,  the  following  arrange- 
ments should  be  made.  Keep  a  large  box  for  fuel, 
which  will  need  to  be  filled  only  twice  in  twenty-four 
hours.  Provide,  also,  and  keep  in  the  room,  or  an  ad- 
jacent closet,  a  small  teakettle,  a  saucepan,  a  pail 
of  water,  for  drinks  and  ablutions,  a  pitcher,  a  covered 
porringer,  two  pint  bowls,  two  tumblers,  two  cups  and 
saucers,  two  wine  glasses,  two  large  -and  two  small 
spoons ;  also,  a  dish  in  which  to  wash  these  articles ;  a 
good  supply  of  towels,  and  a  broom.  Keep  a  slop- 
bucket,  near  by,  to  receive  the  wash  of  the  room. 
Procuring  all  these  articles  at  once,  will  save  much 
noise  and  confusion. 

Whenever  medicine  or  food  is  given,  spread  a  clean 
towel  over  the  person  or  bedclothing,  and  get  a  clean 
handkerchief,  as  nothing  is  more  annoying  to  a  weak 
stomach,  than  the  stickiness  and  soiling  produced  b* 
medicine  and  food.  Keep  the  fireplace  neat,  and  ai- 
ways  wash  all  articles,  and  jflt  them  in  order,  as  soon 
as  they  sfe  out  of  use. 

A  sick  person  has  nothing  to  do,  but  look  about  the 
room ;  and  when  every  thing  is  neat  and  in  order,  a 
feeling  of  comfort  is  induced,  while  disorder,  filth,  and 
neglect,  are  constant  objects  of  annovance,  which,  if 
not  complained  of,  are  yet  felt. 


ON    THE    CARE    OF    THE    SICK.  239 

Always  prepare  food  for  the  sick,  in  the  neatest  and 
most  careful  manner.  It  is  in  sickness,  that  the  senses 
of  smell  and  taste  are  most  susceptible  of  annoyance ; 
and  often,  little  mistakes  or  negligences,  in  preparing 
food,  will  take  away  all  appetite. 

Food  for  the  sick,  should  be  cooked  on  coals,  that  no 
smoke  may  have  access  to  it ;  and  great  care  must  be 
taken,  to  prevent  any  adherence  to  the  bottom,  as  this 
always  gives  a  disagreeable  taste. 

Keeping  clean  handkerchiefs  and  towels  at  hand, 
cooling  the  pillows,  sponging  the  hands  with  water, 
swabbing  the  mouth  with  a  clean  linen  rag,  on  the  end 
of  a  stick,  are  modes  of  increasing  the  comfort  of  the 
sick.  Always  throw  a  shawl  over  a  sick  person,  when 
raised  up. 

Be  careful  to  understand  a  physician's  directions,  and 
to^obey  them  implicitly.  If  it  be  supposed  that  any  other 
person  knows  better  about  the  case,  than  the  physician, 
dismiss  the  physician,  and  employ  that  person  in  his 
stead. 

In  nursing  the  sick,  always  speak  gently  and  cheer- 
ingly ;  and,  while  you  express  sympathy  for  their  pain 
and  trials,  stimulate  them  to  bear  all  with  fortitude,  and 
with  resignation  to  Him  who  has  appointed  the  trial. 
Offer  to  read  the  Bible,  or  other  devotional  books, 
whenever  it  is  suitable,  and  will  not  be  deemed  ob- 
trusive. 

It  is  always  best  to  consult  the  physician,  as  to  where 
medicines  shall  be  purchased,  and  to  show  the  articles 
to  him  before  using  them,  as  great  impositions  are  prac- 
tised in  selling  old,  useless,  and  adulterated  drugs.  Al- 
ways put  labels  on  vials  of  medicine,  and  keep  them 
out  of  the  reach  of  children. 

Be  careful  to  label  all  powders,  and  particularly  all 
white  powders ;  as  many  poisonous  medicines,  in  this 
form,  are  easily  mistaken  for  others  which  are  harmless 


240        ON  ACCIDENTS  AND  ANTIDOTES. 


CHAPTER   XXII. 

ON  ACCIDENTS  AND  ANTIDOTES. 

WHEN  serious  accidents  occur,  medical  aid  should 
be  immediately  procured.  Till  that  can  be  done,  the 
following  directions  may  be  useful. 

When  a  child  has  any  thing  in  its  throat,  first  try, 
with  the  finger,  to  get  the  article  up.  If  this  cannot 
be  done,  push  it  down  into  the  stomach,  with  a  smooth 
elastic  stick.  If  the  article  be  a  pin,  sharp  bone,  glass, 
or  other  cutting  substance,  give  an  emetic  which  will 
immediately  operate. 

In  the  case  of  a  common  cut,  bind  the  lips  of  the 
wound  together,  with  a  rag,  and  put  nothing  else  on 
If  the  cut  be  large,  and  so  situated  that  rags  will  not 
bind  it  together,  use  sticking  plaster,  cut  in  strips  and 
laid  obliquely  across  the  cut.  Sometimes  it  is  needful 
to  take  a  stitch,  with  a  needle  and  thread,  on  each  lip 
of  the  wound,  and  draw  the  two  sides  together. 

If  an  artery  be  cut,  it  must  be  immediately  tied  up, 
or  the  person  will  bleed  to  death.  The  blood  from  an 
artery  is  of  a  bright  red  color,  and  spirts  out,  in  regular 
jets,  at  each  beat  of  the  heart.  Take  up  the  bleeding 
end  of  the  artery,  and  hold  it,  or  tie  it  up,  till  a  surgeon 
comes.  When  the  artery  cannot  be  found,  and  in  all 
cases  of  bad  cuts  on  any  of  the  limbs,  apply  compres- 
sion ;  when  it  can  be  done,  tie  a  very  tight  bandage 
above  the  wound,  if  it  be  below  the  heart,  and  below  if 
the  wound  be  above  the  heart.  Put  a  stick  into  the 
band,  and  twist  it  as  tight  as  can  be  borne,  till  sur- 
gical aid  be  obtained. 

Bathe  bad  bruises  in  hot  water,  or  hot  spirits,  or  a 
decoction  of  bitter  herbs.  Entire  rest,  is  the  remedy 
for  sprains.  Bathing  in  warm  water,  or  warm  whiskey 
is  very  useful.  A  sprained  leg  should  be  kept  in  8 
horizontal  position,  on  a  bed  or  sofa. 

When  a  leg  is  broken,  tie  it  to  the  other  leg,  to  keef 


ON  ACCIDENTS  AND  ANTIDOTES.        241 

tt  still ;  and,  if  possible,  get  a  surgeon,  before  the  limb 
swells.  Bind  a  broken  arm  to  a  piece  of  shingle,  and 
keep  it  still,  till  it  is  set. 

In  case  of  a  blow  on  the  head,  or  a  fall,  causing  in- 
sensibility, use  a  mustard  paste  on  the  back  of  the  neck 
and  pit  of  the  stomach,  and  rub  the  body  with  spirits. 
After  the  circulation  is  restored,  bleeding  is  often  ne- 
cessary ;  but  it  is  very  dangerous  to  attempt  it  before. 

In  cases  of  bad  burns,  where  the  skin  is  taken  off, 
the  great  aim  should  be,  to  keep  the  injured  part  from 
the  air.  For  this  purpose,  sprinkle  on  flour,  or  apply 
a  liniment,  made  of  linseed  oil  and  lime-water,  in  equal 
quantities.  Sweet-oil,  on  cotton,  is  good,  and  with 
laudanum,  alleviates  pain  :  but  many  skins  cannot  bear 
the  application  of  raw  cotton,  which  is  sometimes  very 
good.  When  a  dressing  is  put  on,  do  not  remove  it,  as 
it  will  be  sure  to  protract  the  cure,  by  admitting  the  air. 

In  case  of  drowning,  lay  the  person  in  a  warm  bed, 
or  on  blankets,  on  the  right  side,  with  the  head  raised, 
and  a  little  inclined  forward.  Clear  the  mouth  with 
the  fingers,  and  cautiously  apply  hartshorn  to  the  nose. 
Raise  the  heat  of  the  body,  by  bottles  of  warm  water 
applied  to  the  pit  of  the  stomach,  armpits,  groins,  and 
soles  of  the  feet.  Apply  friction  to  the  whole  body, 
with  warm  hands  and  cloths  dipped  in  warm  spirits  of 
camphor.  Endeavor  to  produce  the  natural  action  of 
the  lungs,  by  introducing  the  nose  of  a  bellows  into 
one  nostril  and  closing  the  other,  at  the  same  time 
pressing  on  the  throat,  to  close  the  gullet.  When  the 
lungs  are  thus  inflated,  press  gently  on  the  breast  and 
belly,  and  continue  the  process,  for  a  long  time.  Cases 
have  been  known,  where  efforts  have  been  protracted 
eight  or  ten  hours,  without  effect,  and  then  have  proved 
successful.  Rolling  the  body  on  a  barrel,  suspending 
it  by  the  heels,  giving  injections  of  tobacco,  and  many 
other  practices,  which  have  been  common,  are  highly 
injurious.  After  signs  of  life  appear,  give  small  quan 
titles  of  wine,  or  spirits  and  water. 

In  cases  of  poisoning,  from  corrosive  sublimate,  beat 

21  D.  E. 


£42         ON  ACCIDENTS  AND  ANTIDOTES. 

up  the  whites  of  twelve  eggs,  mix  them  in  two  quarts 
of  water,  and  give  a  tumbler  full  every  three  minutes, 
till  vomiting  is  produced.  This  is  the  surest  remedy. 
When  this  is  not  at  hand,  fill  the  stomach,  in  like  man- 
ner, with  any  mucilaginous  substance,  such  as  gum 
and  water,  flaxseed,  or  slippery-elm-bark  tea.  Flour 
and  water,  or  sugar  and  water,  in  great  quantities,  are 
next  best ;  and  if  none  of  these  be  at  hand,  give  co- 
pious draughts  of  water  alone. 

In  case  of  poisoning  from  arsenic,  cobalt,  or  any  such 
mineral,  administer,  as  soon  as  possible,  large  quanti 
ties  of  lime-water  and  sugared-water,  of  warm,  or  even 
of  cold  water,  or  of  flaxseed  tea,  or  some  other  muci- 
laginous drink,  to  distend  the  stomach  and  produce 
immediate  vomiting,  and  thereby  eject  the  poison. 

If  opium,  or  any  of  its  preparations,  has  been  taken, 
in  dangerous  quantities,  induce  vomiting,  without  a 
moment's  unnecessary  delay,  by  giving,  immediately,  in 
a  small  quantity  of  water,  ten  grains  of  ipecac,  and  ten 
grains  of  sulphate  of  zinc,  (white  vitriol,  which  is  the 
most  prompt  emetic  known,)  and  repeat  the  dose 
every  fifteen  minutes,  till  the  stomach  is  entirely  emp- 
tied. Where  white  vitriol  is  not  at  hand,  substitute 
three  or  four  grains  of  blue  vitriol,  (sulphate  of  copper.) 
When  the  stomach  is  emptied,  but  not  before,  give, 
every  ten  minutes,  alternately,  a  cup  of  acid  drink,  and 
a  cup  of  very  strong  coffee,  made  by  pouring  a  pint  of 
boiling  water  on  a  quarter  of  a  pound  of  ground  burnt 
coffee,  and  letting  it  stand  ten  minutes,  and  then  strain- 
ing it.  Continue  these  drinks,  till  the  danger  is  over. 
Dash  cold  water  on  the  head,- apply  friction  to  the 
body,  and  keep  the  person  in  constant  motion,  to  pre- 
vent sleep. 

If  any  kind  of  acid  be  taken,  in  poisonous  quantities, 
give  strong  pearlash- water.  If  ley,  or  pearlash,  or  any 
alkali  be  taken,  give  sweet-oil ;  or,  if  this  be  wanting, 
lamp-oil ;  or,  if  neither  be  at  hand,  give  vinegar,  freely 

In  case  of  stupefaction,  from  the  fumes  of  charcoal, 
or  from  entering  a  well,  limekiln,  or  coal  mine,  expose 


ON  ACCIDENTS  AND  ANTIDOTES. 

the  person  to  cold  air,  lying  on  his  back,  dash  cold 
water  on  the  head  and  breast,  and  rub  the  body  with 
spirits  of  camphor,  vinegar,  or  Cologne  water.  Apply 
mustard  paste  to  the  pit  of  the  stomach,  and  use  friction 
on  the  hands,  feet,  and  whole  length  of  the  back  bone. 
Give  some  acid  drink,  and,  when  the  person  revives, 
place  him  in  a  warm  bed,  in  fresh  air.  Be  prompt  and 
persevering. 

In  case  of  bleeding  at  the  lungs,  or  stomach,  or 
throat,  give  a  teaspoonful  of  dry  salt,  and  repeat  it 
often.  For  bleeding  at  the  nose,  pour  cold  water  on 
the  back  of  the  neck,  keeping  the  head  elevated. 

If  a  person  be  struck  with  lightning,  throw  pailfuls 
of  cold  water  on  the  head  and  body,  and  apply  mustard 
poultices  on  the  stomach,  with  friction  of  the  whole 
body,  and  inflation  of  the  lungs.  When  no  other 
emetic  can  be  found,  pounded  mustard  seed,  taken  a 
teaspoonful  at  a  time,  will  answer.  The  ground  mus- 
tard is  not  so  effectual,  but  will  do. 

In  case  of  fire,  wrap  a  woollen  blanket  about  you,  to 
protect  from  the  fire.  If  the  staircases  are  on  fire, 
tie  the  corners  of  the  sheets  together,  very  firmly,  fasten 
one  end  to  the  bedstead,  draw  it  to  the  window,  and 
let  yourself  down.  Never  read  in  bed,  lest  you  fall 
asleep,  and  the  bed  be  set  on  fire.  If  your  clothes  get 
on  fire,  never  run,  but  lie  down,  and  roll  about  till  you 
can  reach  a  bed  or  carpet  to  wrap  yourself  in,  and  thus 
put  out  the  fire.  Keep  young  children  in  woollen 
dresses,  to  save  them  from  the  risk  of  fire. 

In  thunderstorms,  shut  the  doors  and  windows. 
The  safest  part  of  a  room,  is  its  centre  ;  and  where 
there  is  a  featherbed  in  the  apartment,  that  will  be 
found  the  most  secure  resting-place, 

A  lightning  rod,  if  it  be  well  pointed,  and  run  deep 
into  the  earth,  is  a  certain  protection  to  a  circle  around 
it,  whose  diameter  equals  the  height  of  the  rod  above 
the  highest  chimney.  But  it  protects  no  further  than 
this  extent. 


244  ON    DOMESTIC    AMUSEMENTS 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 

ON    DOMESTIC    AMUSEMENTS    AND    SOCIAL    EUTIES. 

WHENEVER  the  laws  of  body  and  mind  are  properly 
understood,  it  will  be  allowed,  that  every  person  needs 
some  kind  of  recreation ;  and  that,  by  seeking  it,  the 
body  is  strengthened,  the  mind  is  invigorated,  and  all  our 
duties  are  more  cheerfully  and  successfully  performed. 

Children,  whose  bodies  are  rapidly  growing,  and 
whose  nervous  system  is  tender  and  excitable,  need 
much  more  amusement,  than  persons  of  mature  age. 
Persons,  also,  who  are  oppressed  with  great  responsi- 
bilities and  duties,  or  who  are  taxed  by  great  intellectual 
or  moral  excitement,  need  recreations  which  secure 
physical  exercise,  and  draw  off  the  mind  from  absorbing 
interests.  Unfortunately,  such  persons  are  those  who 
least  resort  to  amusements,  while  the  idle,  gay,  and 
thoughtless,  seek  those  which  are  needless,  and  for 
which  useful  occupation  would  be  a  most  beneficial 
substitute. 

As  the  only  legitimate  object  of  amusements,  is,  to 
prepare  mind  and  body  for  the  proper  discharge  of  duty, 
any  protracting  of  such  as  interfere  with  regular  em- 
ployments, or  induce  excessive  fatigue,  or  weary  the 
mind,  or  invade  the  proper  hours  for  repose,  must  be 
sinful. 

In  deciding  what  should  be  selected,  and  what  avoid- 
ed, the  following  rules  are  binding.  In  the  first  place, 
no  amusements,  which  inflict  needless  pain,  should  ever 
be  allowed.  All  tricks  which  cause  fright,  or  vexation, 
and  all  sports,  which  involve  suffering  to  animals,  should 
be  utterly  forbidden.  Hunting  and  fishing,  for  mere 
sport,  can  never  be  justified.  If  a  man  can  convince 
his  children,  that  he  follows  these  pursuits  to  gain 
food  or  health,  and  not  for  amusement,  his  example 
may  not  be  very  injurious.  But,  when  children  see 


AND    SOCIAL    DUTIES.  245 

grown  persons  kill  and  frighten  animals,  for  sport, 
habits  of  cruelty,  rather  than  feelings  of  tenderness  and 
benevolence,  are  induced. 

In  the  next  place,  we  should  seek  no  recreations, 
which  endanger  life,  or  interfere  with  important  duties. 
A  s  the  only  legitimate  object  of  amusements,  is  to  pro- 
mote health,  and  prepare  for  more  serious  duties,  select- 
ing those  which  have  a  directly  opposite  tendency,  can- 
not be  justified.  Of  course,  if  a  person  feel  that  the 
previous  day's  diversions  have  shortened  the  hours  of 
needful  repose,  or  induced  a  lassitude  of  mind  or  body, 
instead  of  invigorating  them,  it  is  certain  that  an  evil 
has  been  done,  which  should  never  be  repeated. 

A  third  rule,  is,  to  avoid  those  amusements,  which 
experience  has  shown  to  be  so  exciting,  and  connected 
with  so  many  temptations,  as  to  be  pernicious  in  ten- 
dency, both  to  the  individual  and  to  the  community. 
It  is  on  this  ground,  that  horse-racing  and  circus-riding 
are  excluded.  Not  because  there  is  any  thing  positively 
wrong,  in  having  men  and  horses  run,  and  perform  feats 
of  agility,  or  in  persons  looking  on  for  the  diversion : 
but  because  experience  has  shown  so  many  evils  con- 
nected with  these  recreations,  that  they  should  be  re- 
linquished. So  with  theatres.  The  enacting  of  char- 
acters, and  the  amusement  thus  afforded,  in  itself  may 
be  harmless ;  and  possibly,  in  certain  cases,  might  be 
useful :  but  experience  has  shown  so  many  evils  to  re- 
sult from  this  source,  that  it  is  deemed  wrong  to  patro- 
nize it.  So,  also,  with  those  exciting  games  of  chance, 
which  are  employed  in  gambling. 

Under  the  same  head,  comes  dancing,  in  the  estima- 
tion of  the  great  majority  of  the  religious  world.  Still, 
there  are  many  intelligent,  excellent,  and  conscientious 
persons,  who  hold  a  contrary  opinion.  Such  maintain, 
that  it  is  an  innocent  and  healthful  amusement,  tending 
to  promote  ease  of  manners,  cheerfulness,  social  affec- 
tion, and  health  of  mind  and  body ;  that  evils  are  in- 
volved only  in  its  excess  ;  that,  like  food,  study,  or 
religious  excitement,  it  is  only  wrong,  when  not  p-op 
21*  *  D.  E. 


£46  ON    DOMESTIC    AMUSEMENTS 

erly  regulated ;  and  that,  if  serious  and  intelligent 
people  would  strive  to  regulate,  rather  than  banish,  this 
amusement,  much  more  good  would  be  secured. 

On  the  other  side,  it  is  objected,  not  that  dancing  is 
a  sin,  in  itself  considered,  for  it  was  once  a  part  of 
sacred  worship ;  not  that  it  would  be  objectionable,  if 
it  were  properly  regulated ;  not  that  it  does  not  tend, 
when  used  in  a  proper  manner,  to  health  of  body  and 
mind,  to  grace  of  manners,  and  to  social  enjoyment : 
all  these  things  are  conceded.  But  it  is  objected  to,  on 
the  same  ground  as  horse-racing,  card-playing,  and 
theatrical  entertainments  ;  that  we  are  to  look  at  amuse- 
ments as  they  are,  and  not  as  they  might  be.  Horse- 
races might  be  so  managed,  as  not  to  involve  cruelty, 
gambling,  drunkenness,  and  every  other  vice.  And  so 
might  theatres  and  cards.  And  if  serious  and  intelli- 
gent persons,  undertook  to  patronize  these,  in  order  to 
regulate  them,  perhaps  they  would  be  somewhat  raised 
from  the  depths,  to  which  they  are  now  sunk.  But 
such  persons,  know,  that,  with  the  weak  sense  of  moral 
obligation  existing  in  the  mass  of  society,  and  the  im- 
perfect ideas  mankind  have  of  the  proper  use  of  amuse- 
ments, and  the  little  self-control,  which  men,  or  women, 
or  children,  practise,  these  will  not,  in  fact,  be  thus 
regulated.  And  they  believe  dancing  to  be  liable  to 
the  same  objections. 

As  this  recreation  is  actually  conducted,  it  does  not 
tend  to  produce  health  of  body  or  mind,  but  directly 
the  contrary.  If  young  and  old  went  out  to  dance 
together,  in  the  open  air,  as  the  French  peasants  do,  it 
would  be  a  very  different  sort  of  amusement,  from  that 
which  is  witnessed,  in  a  room,  furnished  with  many 
lights,  and  filled  with  guests,  both  expending  the 
healthful  part  of  the  atmosphere,  where  the  young  col- 
lect, in  their  tightest  dresses,  to  protract,  for  several 
hours,  a  kind  of  physical  exertion,  which  is  not  habitual 
to  them.  During  this  process,  the  blood  is  made  to 
circulate  more  swiftly  than  ordinary,  in  circumstances 
where  it  is  less  perfectly  oxygenized  than  health  re- 


AND    SOCIAL    DUTIES.  247 

quires  ;  the  pores  of  the  skin  are  excited  by  heat  and 
exercise ;  the  stomach  is  loaded  with  indigestible 
articles,  and  the  quiet,  needful  to  digestion,  withheld ; 
the  diversion  is  protracted  beyond  the  usual  hour  for 
repose ;  and  then,  when  the  skin  is  made  the  most 
highly  susceptible  to  damps  and  miasms,  the  company 
pass  from  a  warm  room  to  the  cold  night-air.  It  is 
probable,  that  no  single  amusement  can  be  pointed  out, 
combining  so  many  injurious  particulars,  as  this,  which 
is  so  often  defended  as  a  healthful  one.  Even  if 
parents,  who  train  their  children  to  dance,  can  keep 
them  from  public  balls,  (which  is  seldom  the  case,) 
dancing  in  private  parlors  is  subject  to  nearly  all  the 
same  mischievous  influences. 

As  to  the  claim  of  social  benefits, — when  a  dancing- 
party  occupies  the  parlors,  and  the  music  begins,  most 
of  the  conversation  ceases ;  while  the  young  prepare 
themselves  for  future  sickness,  and  the  old  look  smi 
iingly  on. 

As  to  the  claim  for  ease  and  grace  of  manners, — 
all  that  is  gained,  by  this  practice,  can  be  better  se- 
cured, by  Calisthenics,  which,  in  all  its  parts,  em- 
braces a  much  more  perfect  system,  both  of  healthful 
exercise,  graceful  movement,  and  pleasing  carriage. 

The  writer  was  once  inclined  to  the  common  opin- 
ion, that  dancing  was  harmless,  and  might  be  properly 
regulated  ;  and  she  allowed  a  fair  trial  to  be  made, 
under  her  auspices,  by  its  advocates.  The  result  was,  a 
full  conviction,  that  it  secured  no  good  effect,  which  could 
not  be  better  gained  another  way  ;  that  it  involved  the 
most  pernicious  evils  to  health,  character,  and  happi- 
ness ;  and  that  those  parents  were  wise,  who  brought 
up  their  children  with  the  full  understanding  that  they 
were  neither  to  learn  nor  to  practise  the  art.  In  the 
fifteen  years,  during  which  she  has  had  the  care  oi 
young  ladies,  she  has  never  known  any  case,  where 
learning  this  art,  and  following  the  amusement,  did  not 
have  a  bad  effect,  either  on  the  habits,  the  intellect,  the 
feelings,  or  the  health.  Those  young  ladies,  who  are 


248  ON    DOMESTIC    AMUSEMENTS 

brought  up  with  less  exciting  recreations,  are  uniformly 
likely  to  be  the  most  contented  and  most  useful,  while 
those,  who  enter  the  path  to  which  this  diversion  leads, 
acquire  a  relish  and  desire  for  high  excitement,  which 
make  the  more  steady  and  quiet  pursuits  and  enjoy- 
ments of  home,  comparatively  tasteless.  This,  the 
writer  believes  to  be  generally  the  case,  though  not  in- 
variably so ;  for  there  are  exceptions  to  all  general 
rules. 

In  reference  to  these  exciting  amusements,  so  liable 
to  danger  and  excess,  parents  are  bound  to  regard  the 
principle,  which  is  involved  in  the  petition,  "  Lead  us 
not  into  temptation."  Would  it  not  be  inconsistent, 
to  teach  this  prayer,  to  the  lisping  tongue  of  childhood, 
and  then  send  it  to  the  dancing-master,  to  acquire  a 
love  for  a  diversion,  which  leads  to  constant  temptations 
that  so  few  find  strength  to  resist  ? 

It  is  encouraging,  to  those  who  take  this  view  of  the 
subject,  to  find  how  fast  the  most  serious  and  intelligent 
portion  of  the  community  is  coming  to  a  similar  result. 
Twenty-five  years  ago,  dancing  was  universally  prac- 
tised by  the  young,  as  a  matter  of  course,  in  every  part 
of  the  Nation.  Now,  in  those  parts  of  the  Country, 
where  religion  and  intelligence  are  most  extensively 
diffused,  it  is  almost  impossible  to  get  up  a  ball,  among 
the  more  refined  classes  of  the  community.  The  amuse- 
ment is  fast  leaving  this  rank  in  society,  to  remain  as  a 
resource  for  those,  whose  grade  of  intelligence  and 
refinement  does  not  relish  more  elevated  recreations 
Still,  as  there  is  great  diversity  of  opinion,  among  per 
sons  of  equal  worth  and  intelligence,  a  spirit  of  candor 
and  courtesy  should  be  practised,  on  both  sides.  The 
sneer  at  bigotry  and  narrowness  of  views,  on  one  side, 
and  the  uncharitable  implication  of  want  of  piety,  or 
sense,  on  the  other,  are  equally  illbred  and  unchristian. 
Truth,  on  this  subject,  is  best  promoted,  not  by  ill- 
natured  crimination  and  rebuke,  but  by  calm  reason, 
generous  candor,  forbearance,  and  kindness. 

There  is  another  species  of  amusement,   which  a 


AND    SOCIAL    DUTIES.  249 

large  portion  of  the  religious  world  have  been  accus- 
tomed to  put  under  the  same  condemnation  as  the  pre- 
ceding. This  is  novel-reading.  The  confusion  and 
difference  of  opinion  on  this  subject,  have  arisen  from 
a  want  of  clear  and  definite  distinctions.  Now,  as  it 
is  impossible  to  define  what  are  novels  and  what  are 
not,  so  as  to  include  one  class  of  fictitious  writings  and 
exclude  every  otherj  it  is  impossible  to  lay  down  any 
rule  respecting  them.  The  discussion,  in  fact,  turns  on 
the  use  of  those  works  of  imagination,  which  belong  to 
the  class  of  narratives.  That  this  species  of  reading,  is 
not  only  lawful,  but  necessary  and  useful,  is  settled  by 
Divine  examples,  in  the  parables  and  allegories  of 
Scripture.  Of  course,  the  question  must  be,  what 
kind  of  fabulous  writings  must  be  avoided,  and  what 
allowed.  In  deciding  this,  no  specific  rules  can  be 
given ;  but  it  must  be  a  matter  to  be  regulated  by  the 
nature  and  circumstances  of  each  case.  No  works  of 
fiction,  which  tend  to  throw  the  allurements  of  taste  and 
genius  around  vice  and  crime,  should  ever  be  tolerated ; 
and  all  that  tend  to  give  false  views  of  life  and  duty, 
should  also  be  banished.  Of  those,  which  are  written 
for  mere  amusement,  presenting  scenes  and  events  that 
are  interesting  and  exciting,  and  having  no  bad  moral 
influence,  much  must  depend  on  character  and  circum- 
stances. Some  minds  are  torpid  and  phlegmatic,  and 
need  to  have  the  imagination  stimulated :  such  would 
be  benefitted  by  this  kind  of  reading.  Others  have 
quick  and  active  imaginations,  and  would  be  as  much 
injured.  Some  persons  are  often  so  engaged  in  ab- 
sorbing interests,  that  any  thing  innocent,  which  will 
for  a  short  time  draw  off  the  mind,  is  of  the  nature  of 
a  medicine ;  and,  in  such  cases,  this  kind  of  reading  is 
useful. 

There  is  need,  also,  that  some  men  should  keep  a 
supervision  of  the  current  literature  of  the  day,  as  guar- 
dians, to  warn  others  of  danger.  For  this  purpose,  it 
is  more  suitable  for  editors,  clergymen,  and  teachers,  to 


250  ON    DOMESTIC    AMUSEMENTS 

read  indiscriminately,  than  for  any  other  class  of  per- 
sons ;  for  they  are  the  guardians  of  the  public  weal,  in 
matters  of  literature,  and  should  be  prepared  to  advise 
parents  and  young  persons  of  the  evils  in  one  direction 
and  the  good  in  another.  In  doing  this,  however,  they 
are  bound  to  go  on  the  same  principles  which  regulate 
physicians,  when  they  visit  infected  districts, — using 
every  precaution  to  prevent  injury  to  themselves  ;  hav- 
ing as  little  to  do  with  pernicious  exposures,  as  a  be- 
nevolent regard  to  others  will  allow  ;  and  faithfully 
employing  all  the  knowledge  and  opportunities,  thus 
gained,  for  warning  and  preserving  others.  There  is 
much  danger,  in  taking  this  course,  that  men  will  seek 
the  excitement  of  the  imagination,  for  the  mere  pleas- 
ure it  affords,  under  the  plea  of  preparing  to  serve  the 
public,  when  this  is  neither  the  aim  nor  the  result. 

In  regard  to  the  use  of  such  works,  by  the  young,  as 
a  general  rule,  they  ought  not  to  be  allowed  to  any,  ex- 
.cept  those  of  a  dull  and  phlegmatic  temperament,  until 
the  solid  parts  of  education  are  secured,  and  a  taste  for 
more  elevated  reading  is  acquired.  If  these  stimulating 
condiments  in  literature  be  freely  used,  in  youth,  all 
relish  for  more  solid  reading,  will,  in  a  majority  of 
cases,  be  destroyed.  If  parents  succeed  in  securing 
habits  of  cheerful  and  implicit  obedience,  it  will  be  very 
easy  to  regulate  this  matter,  by  prohibiting  the  reading 
of  any  story-book,  until  the  consent  of  the  parent  is 
obtained. 

It  is  not  unfrequently  the  case,  that  advocates  for 
dancing,  and  the  other  more  exciting  amusements, 
speak  as  if  those,  who  were  more  strict  in  these  mat- 
ters, were  aiming  to  deprive  the  young  of  all  diversions ; 
just  as  if,  when  cards,  theatres,  and  dancing,  are  cut 
off,  nothing  remains  but  serious  and  severe  duties. 
Perhaps  there  has  been  some  just  ground  of  objection 
to  the  course  often  pursued  by  parents,  in  neglecting 
to  provide  agreeable  and  suitable  substitutes,  for  the 
amusements  denied;  but,  there  is  a  great  abundance 


AND    SOCIAL    DUTIES.  251 

of  safe,  healthful,  and  delightful,  recreations,  which  all 
parents  may  secure  for  their  children.  Some  of  these 
will  here  be  pointed  out. 

One  of  the  most  useful  and  important,  is,  the  cultiva- 
tion of  flowers  and  fruits.  This,  especially  for  the 
daughters  of  a  family,  is  greatly  promotive  of  health 
and  amusement.  It  is  with  the  hope,  that  many  young 
ladies,  whose  habits  are  now  so  formed,  that  they  can 
never  be  induced  to  a  course  of  active  domestic  exer- 
cise, so  long  as  their  parents  are  able  to  hire  domestics, 
may  yet  be  led  to  an  employment,  which  will  tend  to 
secure  health  and  vigor  of  constitution,  that  so  much 
space  is  given,  in  this  work,  to  directions  for  the  culti- 
vation of  fruits  and  flowers.  It  would  be  a  most  desira- 
ble improvement,  if  all  female  schools  could  be  furnished 
with  suitable  grounds,  and  instruments,  for  the  cultiva- 
tion of  fruits  and  flowers,  and  every  inducement  offered, 
to  engage  the  young  ladies  in  this  pursuit.  No  father, 
who  wishes  to  have  his  daughters  grow  up  to  be  health- 
ful women,  can  take  a  surer  method  to  secure  this  end. 
Let  him  set  apart  a  portion  of  his  yard  and  garden,  for 
fruits  and  flowers,  and  see  that  the  soil  is  well  prepared 
and  dug  over,  and  all  the  rest  may  be  committed  to 
the  care  of  the  children.  These  would  need  to  be 
provided  with  a  light  hoe  and  rake,  a  dibble,  or  garden 
trowel,  a  watering-pot,  and  means  and  opportunities 
for  securing  seeds,  roots,  buds,  and  grafts,  all  which 
might  be  done  at  a  trifling  expense.  Then,  with  prop- 
er encouragement,  and  by  the  aid  of  such  directions 
as  are  contained  in  this  work,  every  man,  who  has 
even  half  an  acre,  could  secure  a  small  Eden  around 
his  premises. 

In  pursuing  this  amusement,  children  can  also  be  led 
to  acquire  many  useful  habits.  Early  rising  would,  in 
many  cases,  be  thus  secured  ;  and  if  they  were  required 
to  keep  their  walks  and  borders  free  from  weeds  and 
rubbish,  habits  of  order  and  neatness  would  be  induced. 
Benevolent  and  social  feelings  could  also  be  cultivated, 
by  influencing  children  to  share  their  fruits  and  flowers 


ON    DOMESTIC    AMUSEMENTS 

with  friends  and  neighbors,  as  well  as  to  distribute  roots 
and  seeds  to  those,  who  have  not  the  means  of  procuring 
them.  A  woman  or  a  child,  by  giving  seeds,  or  slips, 
or  roots,  to  a  washerwoman,  or  a  farmer's  boy,  thus 
exciting  them  to  love  and  cultivate  fruits  and  flowers, 
awakens  a  new  and  refining  source  of  enjoyment  in 
minds,  which  have  few  resources  more  elevated  than 
mere  physical  enjoyments.  Our  Saviour  directs,  in 
making  feasts,  to  call,  not  the  rich,  who  can  recompense 
again,  but  the  poor,  who  can  make  no  returns.  So 
children  should  be  taught  to  dispense  their  little  treas- 
ures, not  alone  to  companions  and  friends,  who  will 
probably  return  similar  favors ;  but  to  those  who  have 
no  means  of  making  any  return.  If  the  rich,  who  ac- 
quire a  love  for  the  enjoyments  of  taste,  and  have  the 
means  to  gratify  it,  would  aim  to  extend,  among  the 
poor,  the  cheap  and  simple  enjoyment  of  fruits  and 
flowers,  our  Country  would  soon  literally  "  blossom  as 
the  rose." 

If  the  ladies  of  a  neighborhood  would  unite  small 
contributions,  and  send  a  list  of  flower-seeds  and  roots 
to  some  respectable  and  honest  florist,  who  would  not 
be  likely  to  turn  them  off  with  trash,  they  could  divide 
these  among  themselves,  so  as  to  secure  an  abundant 
variety,  at  a  very  small  expense.  A  bag  of  flower-seeds, 
which  can  be  obtained,  at  wholesale,  for  four  cents, 
would  abundantly  supply  a  whole  neighborhood ;  and, 
by  the  gathering  of  seeds,  in  the  Autumn,  could  be 
perpetuated. 

Another  very  elevating  and  delightful  recreation,  for 
the  young,  is  found  in  music.  Here,  the  writer  would 
protest  against  the  common  practice,  in  many  families, 
of  having  the  daughters  learn  to  play  on  the  piano, 
whether  they  have  a  taste  and  an  ear  for  music,  or  not 
A  young  lady,  who  cannot  sing,  and  has  no  great  fond 
ness  for  music,  does  nothing  but  waste  time,  money, 
and  patience,  in  learning  to  play  on  the  piano.  But 
all  children  can  be  taught  to  sing,  in  early  childhood, 
if  the  scientific  mode  of  teaching  music,  in  schools,  could 


AND    SOCIAL    LUTIES.  253 

be  introduced,  as  it  is  in  Prussia,  Germany,  and  Switzer- 
land. Then,  young  childi  en  could  read  and  sing  music, 
as  easily  as  they  can  rea&  language ;  and  might  take 
any  tune,  dividing  themselves  into  bands,  and  sing  off, 
at  sight,  the  endless  variety  of  music  which  is  prepared. 
And  if  parents  of  wealth  would  take  pains  to  have 
teachers  qualified  for  the  purpose,  as  they  may  be  at  the 
Boston  Academy,  and  other  similar  institutions,  who 
should  teach  all  the  young  children  in  the  community, 
much  would  be  done  for  the  happiness  and  elevation 
of  the  rising  generation.  This  is  an  amusement,  which 
children  relish,  in  the  highest  degree ;  and  which  they 
can  enjoy,  at  home,  in  the  fields,  and  in  visits  abroad. 

Another  domestic  amusement,  is,  the  collecting  of 
shells,  plants,  and  specimens  in  geology  and  mineralogy, 
for  the  formation  of  cabinets.  If  intelligent  parents 
would  procure  the  simpler  works  which  have  been 
prepared  for  the  young,  and  study  them,  with  their 
children,  a  taste  for  such  recreations  would  soon  be 
developed.  The  writer  has  seen  young  boys,  of  eight 
and  ten  years  of  age,  gathering  and  cleaning  shells  from 
rivers,  and  collecting  plants,  and  mineralogical  speci- 
mens, with  a  delight,  bordering  on  ecstasy ;  and  there 
are  few,  if  any,  who,  by  proper  influences,  would  not 
find  this  a  source  of  ceaseless  delight  and  improvement. 

Another  resource,  for  family  diversion,  is  to  be  found 
in  the  various  games  played  by  children,  and  in  which 
the  joining  of  older  members  of  the  family  is  always  a 
great  advantage  to  both  parties.  All  medical  men  unite, 
in  declaring  that  nothing  is  more  beneficial  to  health, 
than  hearty  laughter ;  and  surely  our  benevolent  Creator 
would  not  have  provided  risibles,  and  made  it  a  source 
of  health  and  enjoyment  to  use  them,  if  it  were  a  sin 
so  to  do.  There  has  been  a  tendency  to  asceticism,  on 
this  subject,  which  needs  to  be  removed.  Such  com- 
mands, as  forbid  foolish  laughing  and  jesting,  "  which 
are  not  convenient ; "  and  which  forbid  all  idle  words, 
and  vain  conversation,  cannot  apply  to  any  thing,  ex- 
cept what  is  foolish,  vain,  and  useless.  But  jokes, 
22  .  •  -  D.  E. 


254  ON    DOMESTIC    AMUSEMENTS 

laughter,  and  sports,  when  used  in  such  a  degree  as 
tends  only  to  promote  health,  social  feelings,  and  hap- 
piness, are  neither  vain,  foolish,  nor  "  not  convenient." 
It  is  the  excess  of  these  things,  and  not  the  moderate 
use  of  them,  which  Scripture  forbids.  The  prevailing 
temper  of  the  mind,  should  be  cheerful,  yet  serious ; 
but  there  are  times,  when  relaxation  and  laughter  are 
proper  for  all.  There  is  nothing  better  for  this  end, 
than  that  parents  and  older  persons  should  join  in  the 
sports  of  childhood.  Mature  minds  can  always  make 
such  diversions  more  entertaining  to  children,  and  can 
exert  a  healthful  moral  influence  over  their  minds  ;  and, 
at  the  same  time,  can  gain  exercise  and  amusement  for 
themselves.  How  lamentable,  that  so  many  fathers, 
who  could  be  thus  useful  and  happy  with  their  children, 
throw  away  such  opportunities,  and  wear  out  soul  and 
body,  in  the  pursuit  of  gain  or  fame ! 

Another  resource  for  children,  is  in  the  exercise  of 
mechanical  skill.  Fathers,  by  providing  tools  for  their 
boys,  and  showing  them  how  to  make  wheelbarrows, 
carts,  sleds,  and  various  other  articles,  contribute  both 
to  the  physical,  moral,  and  social,  improvement  of  their 
children.  And  in  regard  to  little  daughters,  much  more 
can  be  done,  in  this  way,  than  many  would  imagine. 
The  writer,  blessed  with  the  example  of  a  most  ingeni- 
ous and  industrious  mother,  had  not  only  learned,  be- 
fore the  age  of  twelve,  to  make  dolls,  of  various  sorts 
and  sizes,  but  to  cut  and  fit  and  sew  every  article,  that 
belongs  to  a  doll's  wardrobe.  This,  which  was  done 
for  mere  amusement,  secured  such  a  facility  in  mechan- 
ical pursuits,  that,  ever  afterward,  the  cutting  and  fitting 
of  any  article  of  dress,  for  either  sex,  was  accomplished 
with  entire  ease. 

When  a  little  girl  first  begins  to  sew,  her  mother  can 
promise  her  a  small  bed  and  pillows,  as  soon  as  she  has 
sewed  a  patch  quilt  for  them ;  and  then  a  bedstead,  as 
soon  as  she  has  sewed  the  sheets  and  cases  for  pil- 
lows ;  and  then  a  large  doll  to  dress,  as  soon  as  she  has 
made  the  under  garments ;  ?nd  thus  go  on,  till  the 


AND    SOCIAL    DUTIES.  255 

whole  contents  of  the  baby-house  are  earned  by  the 
needle  and  skill  of  its  little  owner.  Thus,  the  task  of 
learning  to  sew,  will  become  a  pleasure ;  and  every 
new  toy  will  be  earned  by  useful  exertion.  A  little 
girl  can  be  taught,  by  the  aid  of  patterns  prepared  for 
the  purpose,  to  cut  and  fit  all  articles  necessary  for  her 
doll.  She  can  also  be  provided  with  a  little  wash-tub, 
and  irons,  to  wash  and  iron,  and  thus  keep  in  proper 
order  a  complete  miniature  domestic  establishment. 

Besides  these  recreations,  there  are  the  enjoyments 
secured  in  walking,  riding,  visiting,  and  many  others 
which  need  not  be  recounted.  Children,  if  trained  to 
be  healthful  and  industrious,  will  never  fail  to  discover 
resources  of  amusement ;  while  their  guardians  should 
lend  their  aid  to  guide  and  restrain  them  from  excess. 

There  is  need  of  a  very  great  change  of  opinion  and 
practice,  in  this  Nation,  in  regard  to.  the  subject  of 
social  and  domestic  duties.  Many  sensible  and  con- 
scientious men,  spend  all  their  time,  abroad,  in  business, 
except,  perhaps,  an  hour  or  so  at  night,  when  they  are 
so  fatigued,  as  to  be  unfitted  for  any  social  or  intellec- 
tual enjoyment.  And  some  of  the  most  conscientious 
men  in  the  Country,  will  add,  to  their  professional 
business,  public  or  benevolent  enterprises,  which  de- 
mand time,  effort,  and  money ;  and  then  excuse  them- 
selves for  neglecting  all  care  of  their  children,  and 
efforts  for  their  own  intellectual  improvement,  or  for 
the  improvement  of  their  families,  by  the  plea,  that 
they  have  no  time  for  it.  All  this,  arises  from  the  want 
of  correct  notions  of  the  binding  obligation  of  our 
social  and  domestic  duties.  The  main  object  of  life, 
is  not  to  secure  the  various  gratifications  of  appetite  or 
taste,  but  to  form  such  a  character,  for  ourselves  and 
others,  as  will  secure  the  greatest  amount  of  present 
and  future  happiness.  It  is  of  far  more  consequence, 
then,  that  parents  should  be  intelligent,  social,  affec- 
tionate, and  agreeable,  at  home,  and  to  their  friends, 
than  that  they  should  earn  money  enough  to  live  in  a 
large  house,  and  have  handsome  furniture.  It  is  far 


256  ON  DOMESTIC  AMUSEMENTS 

more  needful,  for  children,  that  a  father  should  attend 
to  the  formation  of  their  character  and  habits,  and  aid 
in  developing  their  social,  intellectual,  and  moral  na- 
ture, than  it  is,  that  he  should  earn  money  to  furnish 
them  with  handsome  clothes,  and  a  variety  of  tempting 
food. 

It  will  be  wise  for  those  parents,  who  find  little  time 
to  attend  to  their  children,  or  to  seek  amusement  and 
enjoyment  in  the  domestic  and  social  circle,  because 
their  time  is  so  much  occupied  with  public  cares  or 
benevolent  objects,  to  inquire,  whether  their  first  duty 
is  not  to  train  up  their  own  families,  to  be  useful  mem- 
bers of  society.  A  man,  who  neglects  the  mind  and 
morals  of  his  children,  to  take  care  of  the  public,  is  in 
great  danger  of  coming  under  a  similar  condemnation, 
to  that  of  him,  who,  neglecting  to  provide  for  his  own 
household,  has  "  denied  the  faith,  and  is  worse  than  an 
infidel." 

There  are  husbands  and  fathers,  who  conscientiously 
subtract  time  from  their  business,  to  spend  at  home,  in 
reading  with  their  wives  and  children,  and  in  domestic 
amusements  which  at  once  refresh  and  improve.  The 
children  of  such  parents  will  grow  up  with  a  love  of 
home  and  kindred,  which  will  be  the  greatest  safeguard 
against  future  temptations,  as  well  as  the  purest  source 
of  earthly  enjoyment. 

There  are  families,  also,  who  make  it  a  definite  ob- 
ject to  keep  up  family  attachments,  after  the  children 
are  scattered  abroad;  and,  in  some  cases,  secure  the 
means  for  doing  this,  by  saving  money,  which  would 
otherwise  have  been  spent  for  superfluities  of  food  or 
dress.  Some  families  have  adopted,  for  this  end,  a  prac- 
tice, which  if  widely  imitated,  would  be  productive  of 
extensive  benefit.  The  method  is  this.  On  the  first 
day  of  each  month,  some  member  of  the  family,  at  each 
extreme  point  of  dispersion,  takes  a  folio  sheet,  and 
fills  a  part  of  a  page.  This  is  sealed  and  mailed  to  the 
next  family,  who  read  it,  add  another  contribution,  and 
then  mail  it  to  the  next.  Thus  the  family  circular 


AND    SOCIAL    DUTIES.  25T 

once  a.  month,  goes  from  each  extreme,  to  all  the  mem- 
bers of  a  widely-dispersed  family,  and  each  member 
becomes  a  sharer  in  the  joys,  sorrows,  plans,  and  pur- 
suits, of  all  the  rest.  At  the  same  time,  frequent  fam- 
ily meetings  are  sought ;  and  the  expense,  thus  incurred, 
is  cheerfully  met  by  retrenchments  in  other  directions. 
The  sacrifice  of  some  unnecessary  physical  indulgence, 
(such,  for  instance,  as  the  use  of  tea  and  coffee,)  will 
often  purchase  many  social  and  domestic  enjoyments,  a 
thousand  times  more  elevating  and  delightful,  than  the 
retrenched  luxury. 

There  is  no  social  duty,  which  the  Supreme  Law- 
giver more  strenuously  urges,  than  hospitality  and  kind- 
ness to  strangers,  who  are  classed  with  the  widow  and 
the  fatherless,  as  the  special  objects  of  Divine  tender- 
ness. There  are  some  reasons,  why  this  duty  peculiarly 
demands  attention  from  the  American  people. 

Reverses  of  fortune,  in  this  land,  are  so  frequent  and 
unexpected,  and  the  habits  of  the  people  are  so  migra- 
tory, that  there  are  very  many  in  every  part  of  the  Coun- 
try, who,  having  seen  all  their  temporal  plans  and  hopes 
crushed,  are  now  pining  among  strangers,  bereft  of 
wonted  comforts,  without  friends,  and  without  the 
sympathy  and  society,  so  needful  to  wounded  spirits. 
Such,  too  frequently,  sojourn  long  and  lonely,  with  no 
comforter  but  Him  who  "knoweth  the  heart  of  r 
stranger." 

Whenever,  therefore,  new  comers  enter  a  commu 
nity,  inquiry  should  immediately  be  made,  whether  the) 
have  friends  and  associates,  to  render  sympathy  ana 
kind  attentions ;  and,  when  there  is  any  need  for  it,  the 
ministries  of  kind  neighborhood  should  immediately  be 
offered.  And  it  should  be  remembered,  that  the  first 
days  of  a  stranger's  sojourn,  are  the  most  dreary,  and 
that  civility  and  kindness  are  doubled  in  value,  by  being 
offered  at  an  early  period. 

In  social  gatherings,  the  claims  of  the  stranger  are 
too  apt  to  be  forgotten  ;  especially,  in  cases  where  there 
are  no  peculiar  attractions  of  personal  appearance,  or 

22*  *          D    E. 


258       ON  THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  HOuai. 

talents,  or  high  standing.  Such  a  one  should  be  treated 
with  attention,  because  he  is  a  stranger ;  and  when 
communities  learn  to  act  more  from  principle,  and  less 
from  selfish  impulse,  on  this  subject,  the  sacred  claims 
of  the  stranger  will  be  less  frequently  forgotten. 

The  most  agreeable  hospitality,  to  visiters,  who  be- 
come inmates  of  a  family,  is,  that  which  puts  them 
entirely  at  ease.  This  can  never  be  the  case,  where 
the  guest  perceives  that  the  order  of  family  arrange- 
ments is  essentially  altered,  and  that  time,  comfort,  and 
convenience  are  sacrificed,  for  his  accommodation. 

Offering  the  best  to  visiters,  showing  a  polite  regard 
to  every  wish  expressed,  and  giving  precedence  to 
them,  in  all  matters  of  comfort  and  convenience,  can 
be  easily  combined  with  the  easy  freedom  which  makes 
the  stranger  feel  at  home ;  and  this  is  the  perfection  of 
hospitable  entertainment. 


CHAPTER   XXIV. 

ON  THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  HOUSES. 

THERE  is  no  point  of  domestic  economy,  which 
more  seriously  involves  the  health  and  daily  comfort 
of  American  women,  than  the  proper  construction  of 
houses.  There  are  five  particulars,  to  which  attention 
should  be  given,  in  building  a  house  ;  namely,  economy 
of  labor,  economy  of  money,  economy  of  health,  econ- 
omy of  comfort,  and  good  taste.  Some  particulars  will 
here  be  pointed  out,  under  each  of  these  heads. 

The  first,  respects  economy  of  labor.  In  deciding 
upon  the  size  and  style  of  a  house,  the  health  and 
capacity  of  the  housekeeper,  and  the  probabilities  of 
securing  proper  domestics,  ought  to  be  the  very  first 
consideration.  If  a  man  be  uncertain  as  to  his  means 
for  hiring  service,  or  if  he  have  a  feeble  wife,  and  be 
where  properly-qualified  domestics  are  scarce,  it  is  very 


ON  THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  HOUSES.      259 

poor  economy  to  build  a  large  house,  or  to  live  in  a 
style  which  demands  much  labor.  Every  room  in  a 
house  adds  to  the  expense  involved  in  finishing  and 
furnishing  it,  and  to  the  amount  of  labor  spent  in 
sweeping,  dusting,  cleaning  floors,  paint,  and  windows, 
and  taking  care  of,  and  repairing,  its  furniture.  Double 
the  size  of  a  house,  and  you  double  the  labor  of  taking 
care  of  it,  and  so,  vice  versa.  There  is,  in  this  Country, 
a  very  great  want  of  calculation  and  economy,  in  this 
matter. 

The  arrangement  of  rooms,  and  the  proper  supply 
of  conveniences,  are  other  points,  in  which,  economy  of 
labor  and  comfort  is  often  disregarded.  For  example,  a 
kitchen  will  be  in  one  story,  a  sitting-room  in  another, 
and  the  nursery  in  a  third.  Nothing  is  more  injurious, 
to  a  feeble  woman,  than  going  up  and  down  stairs ;  and 
yet,  in  order  to  gain  two  large  parlors,  to  show  to  a  few 
friends,  or  to  strangers,  immense  sacrifices  of  health, 
comfort,  and  money,  are  made.  If  it  be  possible,  the 
nursery,  sitting-parlor,  and  kitchen,  ought  always  to  be 
on  the  same  floor. 

The  position  of  wells  and  cisterns,  and  the  modes  of 
raising  and  carrying  water,  are  other  particulars,  in 
which,  economy  of  labor  and  comfort  is  sadly  neg- 
lected. With  half  the  expense  usually  devoted  to  a 
sideboard  or  sofa,  the  water  used  from  a  well  or  cistern 
can  be  so  conducted,  as  that,  by  simply  turning  a  cock, 
it  will  flow  to  the  place  where  it  is  to  be  used. 

A  want  of  economy,  in  labor  and  in  money,  is  often 
seen  in  the  shape  and  arrangement  of  houses,  and  in 
the  style  of  ornaments  and  furniture.  A  perfect  square, 
encloses  more  rooms,  at  less  expense,  than  any  other 
shape ;  while  it  has  less  surface  exposed  to  external 
cold,  and  can  be  most  easily  warmed  and  ventilated 
And  the  farther  a  house  is  removed  from  this  shape,  the 
more  the  expense  is  increased.  Wings  and  kitchens 
built  out,  beyond  a  house,  very  much  increase  expense, 
both  in  building  and  warming  them. 

Piazzas  and  porticoes  are  very  expensive ;  and  theii 


260      ON  THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  HOUSES. 

cost  would  secure  far  more  comfort,  if  devoted  to  ad 
ditional  nursery  or  kitchen  conveniences.     Many  kinds 
of  porticoes  cost  as  much  as  one  additional  room  in  the 
house.     Houses  can  be  so  constructed,  that  one  stair 
case  will  answer  for  both  kitchen  and  parlour  use,  as 
may  be  seen  in  the  engraving  on  page  269,  (Fig.  27.) 
This  saves  the  expense  and  labor  usually  devoted  to  a 
large  hall  and  front  staircase. 

Much  money  is  often  worse  than  wasted,  by  finical 
ornaments,  which  are  fast  going  out  of  fashion.  One 
of  the  largest,  most  beautiful,  and  agreeable,  houses,  the 
writer  was  ever  in,  was  finished  with  doors,  windows, 
and  fireplaces,  in  even  a  plainer  style  than  any  given  in 
the  subsequent  drawings. 

The  position  of  fireplaces  has  much  to  do  with  econ- 
omy of  expense  in  warming  a  house.  Where  the  fire- 
place is  in  an  outer  wall,  one  third  of  the  heat  passes 
out  of  doors,  which  would  be  retained  in  the  house,  if 
the  chimney  were  within  the  rooms.  A  house,  con- 
trived like  the  one  represented  in  the  engraving  on 
page  272,  (Fig.  32,)  which  can  be  heated  by  a  stove 
or  chimney  at  X,  may  be  warmed  with  less  fuel  than 
one  of  any  other  construction.* 

Economy  of  health  is  often  disregarded,  by  placing 
wells,  cisterns,  and  privies,  so  that  persons,  in  the  perspi- 
ration of  labor,  or  the  debility  of  disease,  are  obliged  to 
go  out  of  doors  in  all  weathers.  Figure  35,  on  page  276, 
shows  the  proper  arrangement  of  such  conveniences. 
The  placing  of  an  outside  door,  for  common  use,  in  a 
sitting-room,  as  is  frequent  at  the  West  and  South,  is 
detrimental  to  health.  In  such  cases,  children,  in  their 
sports,  or  persons  who  labor,  are  thrown  into  perspira- 
tion, by  exercise,  the  door  is  thrown  open,  a  chill  en- 
sues, and  fever,  bowel  complaints,  or  bilious  attacks. 

*  Many  houses  are  now  heated,  by  a  furnace  in  the  cellar,  which 
receives  pure  air  from  out  of  doors,  heats  it,  arid  sends  it  into  several 
rooms,  while  water  is  evaporated  to  prevent  the  air  from  becoming  dry 
The  most  perfect  one  the  writer  has  seen,  is  constructed  by  Mr 
Fowler,  of  Hartford.  This  method  secures  well-ventilated  rooms 
and  is  very  economical,  where  several  rooms  are  to  be  warmed 


ON  THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  HOUSES.      261 

are  the  result.  A  long  window,  extending  down  to  the 
floor,  which  can  be  used  as  a  door,  in  Summer,  and  be 
tightly  closed,  at  the  bottom,  in  Winter,  secures  all  the 
benefits,  without  the  evils,  of  an  outside  door. 

Constructing  houses,  without  open  fireplaces  in 
chambers,  or  any  other  mode  of  ventilation,  is  another 
sad  violation  of  the  economy  of  health.  Feeble  con- 
stitutions in  children,  and  ill  health  to  domestics,  are 
often  caused  by  this  folly. 

The  economy  of  comfort  is  often  violated,  by  arrange- 
ments made  for  domestics.  Many  a  woman  has  been 
left  to  endure  much  hard  labor  and  perplexity,  because 
she  chose  to  have  money  spent  on  handsome  parlors 
and  chambers,  for  company,  which  should  have  been 
devoted  to  providing  a  comfortable  kitchen  and  cham- 
bers for  domestics.  Cramping  the  conveniences  and 
comfort  of  a  family,  in  order  to  secure  elegant  rooms, 
to  show  to  company,  is  a  weakness  and  folly,  which  it 
is  hoped  will  every  year  become  less  common. 

The  construction  of  houses  with  reference  to  good 
taste,  is  a  desirable,  though  less  important,  item.  The 
beauty  of  a  house  depends  very  much  upon  propriety 
of  proportions,  color,  and  ornament.  And  it  is  al- 
ways as  cheap,  and  generally  cheaper,  to  build  a  house 
in  agreement  with  the  rules  of  good  taste,  than  to  build 
an  awkward  and  ill-proportioned  one. 

Plans  of  Houses  and  Domestic  Conveniences. 

The  following  plans  are  designed  chiefly  for  persons 
in  moderate  circumstances,  and  have  especial  reference 
to  young  housekeepers. 

Every  year,  as  the  prosperity  of  this  Nation  increases, 
good  domestics  will  decrease,  and  young  mothers  are 
hereafter  to  be  called  to  superintend  and  perform  all 
branches  of  domestic  business,  to  nurse  children,  direct 
ignorant  domestics,  attend  the  sick,  entertain  company, 
and  fulfil  all  other  family  duties ;  and  this,  too,  in  a 
majority  of  cases,  with  delicate  constitutions,  or  impaired 
health.  Every  man,  therefore,  in  forming  plans  for  a 


ON  THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  HOUSES. 


future  residence,  and  every  woman  who  has  any  influ- 
ence in  deciding  such  matters,  ought  to  make  these 
probabilities  the  chief  basis  of  their  calculations.* 


Fig.  17. 


Fig.  18. 
Ground-plan. 


le  of  Feet. 


a,  Porch. 

b,  Parlor,  15  by  16 

feet. 

c,  Dining-room, 

15  by  16  feet. 

d,  d,  Small  Bed 

rooms. 

e,  Stairs. 
/,/,/,  Closets. 
g,  Pantry. 

/*,  Store-closet. 
i,  i,  i,  Fireplaces. 
?',  Kitchen. 
k,  Bedpress. 
z,  Cellar  door. 


*  Those,  who  are  amateurs  in  architecture,  in  judging  of  these  de 
signs,  must  take  into  consideration,  that  this  is  a  work  on  domestic 
economy,  and  that  matters  of  taste,  have  necessarily  been  made 
subordinate  to  points,  involving  economy  of  health,  comfort,  and 
expense.  Still,  it  is  believed,  that  good  taste  has  been  essentially 
preserved,  in  most  of  these  designs. 


ON  THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  HOUSES. 


263 


The  plan,  exhibited  in  Figures  17,  and  18,  is  that  of 
a  cottage,  whose  chief  exterior  beauty  is  its  fine  pro- 
portions. It  should  be  painted  white. 

Fig.  17,  is  the  elevation,  or  the  front  view  of  the  ex- 
terior. Fig.  18,  is  the  ground-plan,  in  which,  an  entire 
break  in  the  wall,  represents  a  door,  and  a  break  with  a 
line  across  it,  a  window.  When  a  cross  x  is  put  by  a 
door,  it  indicates  into  which  room  the  door  swings,  and 
where  the  hinges  should  be  put,  as  the  comfort  of  a 
fireside  very  much  depends  on  the  way  in  which  the 
doors  are  hung.  A  scale  of  measurement  is  given  at 
the  bottom  of  the  drawings,  by  which,  the  size  of  all 
parts  can  be  measured.  The  ten  small  divisions,  are 
each  one  foot.  The  longest  divisions  are  ten  feet  each. 

In  the  ground-plan,  (Fig.  18,)  a,  is  the  porch,  which 
projects  enough  to  afford  an  entrance  to  the  two  adja- 
cent rooms,  and  thus  avoids  the  evil  of  an  outside  door 
to  a  sitting-room.  If  a  door  be  wanted  in  these 
rooms,  the  front  windows  can  be  made  to  extend 
down  to  the  floor,  so  as  to  serve  as  doors  in  Summer, 
and  be  tightly  closed  in  Winter.  The  parlor,  b,  has 
the  bedpress,  A:,  and  the  closet,  /,  adjoining  it.  Figure 
19  is  intended  to  represent  this  side  of  the  room. 


I 


10     9      3      7      C>        S     •£      3 

Scale  uf  Fet-.i  Tor  r.in-  H.K 


264      ON  THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  HOUSES. 

The  two  large  doors,  in  the  centre,  open  into  the  bed- 
press,  and  one  of  the  smaller  ones  into  the  closet,  /. 
The  other,  can  either  be  a  false  door,  in  order  to  secure 
symmetry,  or  else  a  real  one,  opening  into  the  kitch- 
en, j. 

A  room,  thus  arranged,  can  be>  made  to  serve  as  a 
genteel  parlor,  for  company,  during  the  day,  when  all 
these  doors  can  be  closed.  At  night,  the  doors  of  the 
bedpress  being  opened,  it  is  changed  to  an  airy  bed- 
room, while  the  closets,  fy  f9  serve  to  conceal  all  ac- 
commodations pertaining  to  a  bedroom.  The  bedpress 
is  just  large  enough  to  receive  a  bed  ;  and  under  it,  if 
need  be,  might  be  placed  a  trucklebed,  for  young 
children.  The  eating-room,  c,  has  the  small  bedroom, 
i,  adjoining  it,  which,  by  leaving  the  door  open,  at  night, 
will  be  sufficiently  airy  for  a  sleeping-room.  The 
kitchen,  j,  has  a  smaller  bedroom,  d,  attached  to  it, 
which  will  hold  a  narrow  single  bed  for  a  domestic ; 
and,  if  need  be,  a  narrow  trucklebed  under  it,  for  a 
child.  The  staircase  to  the  garret,  can  either  be  placed 
in  the  eating-room,  or  in  the  small  entry.  A  plan  for 
back  accommodations  is  shown  in  Fig.  35,  (page 
276.)  These  should  be  placed  in  the  rear  of  the 
kitchen,  so  as  not  to  cover  the  window. 

A  house  like  this,  will  conveniently  accommodate 
a  family  of  six  or  eight  persons ;  but  some  economy 
and  contrivance  will  be  needed,  in  storing  away  articles 
of  dress  and  bedclothing.  For  this  end,  in  the  bed 
press,  k,  of  the  parlor,  5,  (Fig.  18,)  a  wide  shelf  may 
be  placed,  two  feet  from  the  ceiling,  where  winter  bed- 
ding, or  folded  clothing,  can  be  stowed,  while  a  short 
curtain  in  front,  hung  from  the  wall,  will  give  a  tidy 
look,  and  keep  out  dust.  Under  this  shelf,  if  need  be, 
pegs  can  be  placed,  to  hold  other  articles ;  and  a  cur- 
tain be  hung  from*  the  edge  of  the  shelf,  to  conceal  and 
protect  them.  Both  the  closets,  /,/,  should  have 
shelves  and  drawers.  The  garret  can  have  a  window 
inserted  in  the  roof,  and  thus  be  made  serviceable  for 
storage. 


ON  THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  HOUSES.      265 

Fig.  20. 


Figure  20  represents  a  fireplace  and  mantelpiece,  m 
a  style  corresponding  with  the  doors. 

Such  a  cottage  as  this,  could  be  built  for  from  five 
hundred  to  nine  hundred  dollars,  according  as  the  ex- 
pense of  labor  in  the  place,  and  the  excellence  of  the 
naterials  and  labor,  may  vary. 


Fig.  21. 


Figures  21  and  22,  show  the  elevation  and  ground- 
plan  of  a  cottage,  in  which  the  rooms  are  rather  more 
agreeably  arranged,  than  in  the  former  plan.  The 
elevation,  (Fig.  21,)  has  a  piazza,  running  across  the 
whole  front.  This  would  cost  nearly  two  hundred 
dollars ;  and,  for  this  sum,  another  story  might  be  add 
ed.  An  architect  told  the  writer,  that  he  could  build 
23  D,  E 


266 


ON  THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  HOUSES. 


the  two-story  house,  (Fig.  23  and  24,)  without  a  piaz- 
za, for  the  same  sum,  as  this  cottage,  with  one.  This 
shows  the  poor  economy  of  these  appendages. 

The  ground-plan,  (Fig.  22,)  will  be  understood,  from 
the  explanation  appended  to  it. 


Fig.  22. 


ZO  10 

Scale  of  Feet. 


a,  Porch. 
J,  Entry. 

c,  Stairs. 

d,  Parlor,  16  by  20  feet. 

e,  Dining-room,  16  by  16  feet. 
/,  Kitchen. 


f>  ff,  ffi  Bedpresses. 
,  A,  A,  A,  Closets, 
i,  Store-closet, 
j,  Back  entry  and  Sink 
p,  Cellar  stairs, 
o,  o,  o,  Fireplaces. 


The  parlor,  d,  is  designed  to  have  the  doors  (shown 
in  Fig.  19)  placed  at  the  end,  where  is  the  bedpress,  g. 
This  will  make  it  a  handsome  parlor,  bv  day,  and  yet 


ON  THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  HOUSES. 


267 


allow  it  to  be  used  as  a  bedroom,  at  night.  The  bed- 
presses,  in  the  other  rooms,  can  have  less  expensive 
doors.  A  window  is  put  in  each  bedpress,  to  secure 
proper  ventilation.  These  should  be  opened,  to  air 
the  bed,  on  leaving  it.  These  can  be  fitted  up  with 
shelves,  pegs,  and  curtains,  as  before  described.  If  the 
elevation  of  the  first  cottage  be  preferred  to  this,  as 
being  less  expensive,  it  can  be  used,  by  altering  it  a 
little ;  thus,  instead  of  the  projection  for  the  entry, 
make  a  slight  projection,  of  the  width  of  one  brick, 
to  preserve  the  same  general  outside  appearance.  Let 
the  windows  extend  down  to  the  floor,  and  the  beauty 
of  symmetry  will  also  be  preserved. 


Fig.  23. 
Ground-plan. 


a,  Entry 

b,  Stairs 

Cj  Parlor,    16 
by  20  feet. 

d,  Kitchen, 
14  by  14  feet. 

e,  Storecloset. 
/,  Pantry. 

g,  Sinkroom. 
h,  Closet, 
i,  i,  Fire- 
places. 

71,  Cellar  door 
ot  Oven. 
y,  Furnace. 
z,  Sink. 


/5<y 

Scale  of  Feet. 


Fig.  24. 
Second  Story. 


a,  Stairs. 

b,  Passage. 

c,  c,  c,  Bed 
rooms. 

d,  d,  rf,  rf, 
Closets. 

e,  e,   Fire- 
places. 

/,  Nursery. 

g    Room    foi 
young 
children. 


268 


ON  THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  HOUSES. 


The  plans,  shown  in  Fig.  23  and  24,  are  designed 
for  families,  where  most  domestic  labor  is  to  be  done 
without  the  aid  of  domestics.  The  parlor,  c,  is  for  a 
sitting-room,  and  for  company.  The  room,  d,  is  the 
eating-room;  where,  also,  the  ironing  and  other  nicer 
family  work  can  be  done.  In  the  small  room,  g,  either 
an  oven  and  boiler,  or  a  cooking-stove,  can  be  placed. 
The  elevation,  shown  in  Fig.  25,  is  designed  for  the 
front  of  this  house. 

Fig.  25 


Fig.  26. 


ON    THE    CONSTRUCTION    OF    HOUSES 


26S 


Figures  27  and  28,  are  plans  of  a  two-story  house,  on 
a  larger  scale,  with  a  concealed  staircase,  for  front  and 
back  use.  The  elevation,  Fig.  26,  is  designed  for  this 
plan. 

Fig.  27 
Ground-plan. 


TT"*    1  i  1   j 

1 

L    b,  I,  Entry. 
|    c,  Stairs. 
|    d,  Parlor,  16  by  20  feet. 
^    6,  Dining-room,  15  by  16 
1       feet. 
/,  Kitchen,  15  by  16  feet 
f,  g,  g,  Closets. 
,  Store-closet. 
i,  Back  entry, 
j,  Pantry. 
k,  k,  kt  Fireplaces. 

r    x                  ft              x         * 

*                         i 
f  .    •     *i      f    \ 

•                 x                      IP1      —  - 

.  o                                                   ~n^i 

^f                                                       •"• 

*                     J                   1   l     "" 

S                                                                          ^TT 
£          *        ^^ 

x,  Cellar  stairs. 

Fig.  28. 
Second  Story. 

o   1    c  1              d 

a,  a,  a,  a,  Bedrooms. 

6,  Stairs. 

f^^^    "T.  ^    W 

c,  c,  c,  Closets, 
rf  Passage. 

=z 

e,  e,  e,  Fireplaces. 

j                a                       ct 

6' 

T/,  Garret  stairs. 

f—  1-  1  1  r  >  M  i  i  i  < 

93* 


270 


ON   THE    CONSTRUCTION    OF    HOUSES. 


Fig.  30. 
Second  Story. 


b,  Entry. 

c,  Parlor,  17 
by  17  feet. 

rf,  Dining- 
room,  13  by 
15  feet. 

.  e,  Parlor  or 
Bedroom,  17 
by  17  feet. 

/,  Kitchen,  19 
by  17  feet. 

g,  Stairs. 

A,  Store-closet 

i,  i,  i,  Closets. 

«,  n,w,  n,  Fire- 
places. 

o,  Folding- 
doors. 

Pt  Pegs  for 
over-gar- 
ments. 

z,  Cellar  stairs 


a,  a,  a,  o,  a, 

Bedrooms. 

fc,  Stairs. 

c,  Passage. 

rf,  d.  f/,  (/, 
Closets. 

e,  e,  e,  e,  Fire- 
places. 


Figures  29  and  30,  are  plans  for  a  larger  house, 
which  can  have  either  of  the  elevations,  Fig.  25  or  26. 


ON  THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  HOUSES. 


271 


adapted  to  it.  These  also  have  a  concealed  staircase, 
for  front  and  back  use.  If  a  nursery,  or  bedroom,  is 
wished,  on  the  ground-floor,  the  back  parlor,  e,  can  be 
taken  ;  in  which  case,  the  closets,  *,  i,  are  very  useful. 
To  prevent  noise  from  reaching  the  front  parlor,  two 
eets  of  folding-doors,  each  side  of  the  passage,  o,  could 
be  placed.  With  this  arrangement,  these  rooms  could 
be  used,  sometimes  as  two  parlors,  opening  into  each 
other,  by  folding  doors,  and  at  other  times,  as  a  nursery 
and  parlor.  In  this  plan,  the  storeroom,  A,  and  china- 
closet,  t,  between  the  kitchen  and  eating-room,  are  a 
great  convenience. 

Figures  31  and  32,  present  the  plan  of  a  Gothic 
cottage,  which  secures  the  most  economy  of  labor  and 
expense,  with  the  greatest  amount  of  convenience  and 
comfort,  which  the  writer  has  ever  seen. 

Fig,  31. 


1Q 
Scale  of  Feet. 


The  elevation,  (Fig.  31,)  exhibits  the  front  view.  It 
nas  a  recess  in  the  central  part,  under  which,  is  the 
door,  with  a  window  on  each  side  of  it.  This  forms  a 
piazza ;  and  into  this,  and  a  similar  one  at  the  back  of 
the  house,  the  two  centre  parlors  open. 


272  ON   THE    CONSTRUCTION    OF    HOUSES 

Fig.  32. 


In  the  centre  of  the  house,  (see  Fig.  32,)  are  the 
two  parlors,  b  and  c ;  the  back  one  to  be  used  as  an 
eating-room.  At  X,  can  be  placed,  either  a  chimney, 
with  doors  on  each  side  of  the  fireplace,  or,  (which  is 
the  most  agreeable,)  folding-doors,  which  can  be  thrown 
open  in  Summer,  thus  making  a  large  saloon,  through 
the  house,  from  one  piazza  to  the  other.  In  this  case, 
the  parlors  are  warmed  by  a  large  stove,  set  near  the 
folding-doors,  which  would  easily  warm  both  parlors 
and  one  or  two  adjacent  rooms.  In  Winter,  the  out- 
side doors,  opening  to  the  piazzas,  should  be  fastened 
and  calked,  and  the  side  entry,  at  d,  be  used.  At  e, 
is  the  nursery,  with  the  bedpress,  g,  which,  being  closed 
by  day,  makes  a  retired  parlor  for  the  mother.  At  n, 
is  the  children's  playroom  and  sleeping-room,  adjoining 
the  mother's  room.  At  AT,  is  the  kitchen,  adjacent  to 
the  eating-room,  with  the  storeroom,  e,  and  the  closets, 
m,  m,  one  for  the  eating  room,  and  one  for  the  kitchen 
utensils.  At  i,  is  a  parlor,  which  can  be  used  for  a 
study  or  library,  by  the  master  of  the  family  ;  while  the 


ON  THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  HOUSES.      273 

adjacent  bedpress,  j,  renders  it  a  convenient  lodging- 
room,  for  guests.  Another  lodging-room,  is  at  h ;  and 
in  the  attic,  is  space  enough  for  several  comfortable 
lodging-rooms.  A  window  in  the  roof,  on  the  front 
and  back,  like  the  one  on  Wadsworth's  Cottage,  (Fig. 
33,)  could  be  placed  over  the  front  door,  to  light  the 
chambers  in  the  attic.  A  double  roof  in  the  attic,  with 
a  current  of  air  between,  secures  cool  chambers.  The 
closets  are  marked  o,  and  the  fireplaces  p.  The  stairs 
to  the  attic  are  at  q.  By  this  arrangement,  the  house- 
keeper has  her  parlor,  sleeping-room,  nursery,  and 
kitchen,  on  the  same  floor,  while  the  rooms  with  bed- 
presses,  enable  her  to  increase  either  parlors  or  lodging- 
rooms,  at  pleasure,  without  involving  the  care  of  a  very 
large  and  expensive  house. 

Figure  33,  is  the  representation  of  a  cottage,  built  by 
Daniel  Wadsworth,  Esq.,  in  the  vicinity  of  Hartford, 
Connecticut ;  and  is  on  a  plan,  which,  though  much 
smaller,  is  very  similar  to  the  plan  represented  in  Fig. 
3*2.  It  serves  to  show  the  manner  in  which  the  roofs 
should  be  arranged,  in  Fig.  31,  which,  being  seen  ex- 
actly in  front,  does  not  give  any  idea  of  the  mode  of 
this  arrangement.  The  elevation  of  Wadsworth's  cot- 
tage, could  be  taken  for  the  ground-plan  shown  in  Fig. 
32,  if  it  be  preferred  to  the  other. 

Both  this  cottage,  and  all  the  other  plans,  require  a 
woodhouse,  and  the  conveniences  connected  with  it, 
which  are  represented  in  Fig.  35,  (page  276.)  For 
these  Gothic  cottages,  an  appendage  of  this  sort  should 
be  in  keeping  with  the  rest,  having  windows,  like  those 
in  the  little  Summer-house  in  the  drawing,  and  battle- 
ments, as  on  the  top  of  the  wings  of  the  barn.  The 
ornaments  on  the  front  of  the  cottage,  and  the  pillars 
of  the  portico,  made  simply  of  the  trunks  of  small 
trees,  give  a  beautiful  rural  finish,  and  their  expense  is 
trifling.  In  this  picture,  the  trees  could  not  be  placed 
as  they  are  in  reality,  because  they  would  hide  the 
buildings. 


£74  ON    THE    CONSTRUCTION    OF    HOUSES. 


ON  THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  HOUSES. 


275 


In  arranging  yards  and  grounds,  the  house  should  be 
set  back,  as  in  the  drawing  of  Wadsworth's  cottage ; 
and,  instead  of  planting  shade-trees  in  straight  lines,  or 
scattering  them  about,  as  single  trees,  they  should  be 
arranged  in  clusters,  with  large  openings  for  turf,  flow- 
ers, and  shrubbery,  which  never  nourish  well  under  the 
shade  and  dropping  of  trees.  This  also  secures  spots 
of  dark  and  cool  shade,  even  when  trees  are  young. 

In  arranging  shade-trees  tastefully  around  such  a 
place,  a  large  cluster  might  be  placed  on  each  side  of 
the  gate  ;  another  on  the  circular  grass-plot,  at  the  side 
of  the  house ;  another  at  a  front  corner ;  and  another 
at  a  back  corner.  Shrubbery,  along  the  walks,  and  on 
the  circular  plot,  in  front,  and  flowers  close  to  the 
house,  would  look  well.  The  barn,  also,  should  have 
clusters  of  trees  near  it ;  and  occasional  single  trees, 
on  the  lawn,  would  give  the  graceful  ease  and  variety 
seen  in  nature. 

Figure  34,  represents  the  accommodations  for  securing 
water  with  the  least  labor.  It  is  designed  for  a  well  or 
cistern  under  ground.  The  reservoir,  R,  may  be  a 
half  hogshead,  or  something  larger,  which  may  be  filled 
once  a  day,  from  the  pump,  by  a  man,  or  boy. 


Fig.  34. 


P,  Pump.  L,  Steps  to  use  when  pumping.  jR,  Reservoir.  G, 
Brickwork  to  raise  the  Reservoir.  J5,  A  large  Boiler.  F,  Furnace, 
beneath  the  Boiler.  C,  Conductor  of  cold  water.  H,  Conductor  oS" 
hot  water.  K,  Cock  for  letting  cold  water  into  the  Boiler.  S,  Pipe 
to  conduct  cold  water  to  a  cock  over  the  kitchen  sink.  T,  Bathing- 
tub,  which  receives  cold  water  from  the  Conductor,  C,  and  hot  water 
from  the  Conductor,  H.  IV,  Partition  separating  the  Bathing-room 
from  the  Wash-room.  F,  Cock  to  draw  off  hot  water.  2T,  Plug  to 
«et  off  the  water  from  the  Bathing-tub  into  a  draiy . 


276 


ON  THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  HOUSES. 


The  conductor,  C,  should  be  a  lead  pipe,  which,  in 
stead  of  going  over  the  boiler,  should  be  bent  along 
behind  it.  From  S,  a  branch  sets  off,  which  conducts 
the  cold  water  to  the  sink  in  the  kitchen,  where  it  dis- 
charges with  a  cock.  H,  is  a  conductor  from  the  lower 
part  of  the  boiler,  made  of  copper,  or  some  metal  not 
melted  by  great  heat ;  and  at  Y,  a  cock  is  placed,  to 
draw  off  hot  water.  Then  the  conductor  passes  to  the 
bathing-tub,  where  is  another  cock.  At  Z,  the  water 
is  let  off  from  the  bathing-tub.  By  this  arrangement, 
great  quantities  of  hot  and  cold  water  can  be  used, 
with  no  labor  in  carrying,  and  with  very  little  labor  in 
raising  it. 

In  case  a  cistern  is  built  above  ground,  it  can  be 
placed  as  the  reservoir  is,  and  then  all  the  labor  of 
pumping  is  saved. 


Fig.  35. 


,  Boiler  and 
nace. 

B,  Bathing-roc 

C,  Reservoir. 

D,  Pump. 

•m  E,  Wash-form 
^  F,  Sink. 

G,  Kitchen. 

H,  Woodpile. 
^/,  Large  doors 
/  i,  i,  Bins  for  coa 
ashes. 

O,  Window. 
B  P,  P,  Privies. 
i:-j  T,  Bathing-tub 


ur 


Fig.  35,  is  the  plan  of  a  building  for  back-dooi 
accommodations.  At  A,  C,  D,  E,  are  accommoda 
tions  shown  in  Fig.  34.  The  bathing-room  is  adjacent 
to  the  boiler  and  reservoir,  to  receive  the  water.  The 
privy,  P,  P,  should  have  two  apartments,  as  indispensa 


ON  THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  HOUSES. 


277 


ble  to  healthful  habits  in  a  family.  A  window  should 
be  placed  at  O,  and  a  door,  with  springs  or  a  weight 
to  keep  it  shut,  should  be  at  V.  Keeping  the  window 
open,  and  the  door  shut,  will  prevent  any  disagreeable 
effects  in  the  house.  At  G,  is  the  kitchen,  and  at  F, 
the  sink,  which  should  have  a  conductor  and  cock  from 
the  reservoir.  H,  is  the  place  for  wood,  where  it 
should  in  Summer  be  stored  for  Winter.  A  bin,  for 
coal,  and  also  a  brick  receiver,  for  ashes,  should  be  in 
this  part.  Every  woman  should  use  her  influence  to 
secure  all  these  conveniences ;  even  if  it  involves  the 
sacrifice  of  the  piazza,  or  "  the  best  parlor." 

Fig.  36. 


7P(._... 

Front  View. 


Side  View. 


Fig.  36,  is  a  latticed  portico,  which  is  cheap,  and 

answers  all  the  purposes  of  a  more  expensive  one.     It 

should  be  solid,  overhead,  to  turn  off  the  rain,  and 

creepers  should  be  trained  over  it.     A  simple  latticed 

24  D.  E 


278 


ON  THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  HOUSES. 


arch,  over  a  door,  covered  with  creepers,  is  very  cheap, 
and  serves  instead  of  an  expensive  portico. 


Fig.  37. 


C,  Parlor  ceiling. 


Kitchen  ceiling. 


Fig.  37,  represents  a  sliding  closet,  or  dumb  waiter. 
a  convenience  which  saves  much  labor,  when  the 
kitchen  is  in  the  basement.  The  two  closets  should 
be  made  wide,  and  broad  enough  to  receive  a  common 
waiter.  The  chain,  or  rope,  which  passes  over  the 
wheels,  should  branch,  at  X,  so  as  to  keep  the  closet 
from  rubbing  in  its  movements,  when  the  dishes  are 


ON  THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  HOUSES.       279 

not  set  exactly  in  the  middle,  or  are  of  unequal  weights. 
By  this  method,  almost  every  thing  needed  to  pass  be- 
tween the  kitchen  and  parlor  can  be  sent  up  and  down, 
without  any  steps.  If  the  kitchen  is  not  directly  under 
the  eating-room,  the  sliding  closet  can  be  placed  in  the 
vicinity  of  one  or  both.  Where  the  place  is  not  wide 
enough  for  two  closets  like  these,  they  can  be  made 
wider  than  they  are  long,  say  one  foot  and  six  inches 
long,  and  three  feet  wide.  A  strip  of  wood,  an  inch 
broad,  should  be  fastened  on  the  front  and  back  of  the 
shelves,  to  prevent  the  dishes  from  being  broken  when 
they  are  set  on  carelessly. 

There  is  nothing,  which  so  much  improves  the  ap- 
pearance of  a  house  and  the  premises,  as  painting  or 
whitewashing  the  tenements  and  fences.  The  follow- 
ing receipts  for  whitewashing,  answer  the  same  purpose 
for  wood, v brick,  and  stone,  as  oil-paint,  and  are  much 
cheaper.  The  first,  is  the  receipt  used  for  the  Presi- 
dent's house,  at  Washington,  improved  by  further  ex- 
periments. The  second,  is  a  cheaper  one,  which  the 
writer  has  known  to  succeed,  in  a  variety  of  cases, 
lasting  as  long,  and  looking  as  well,  as  white  oil-paint. 

Receipt. 

Take  half  a  bushel  of  unslacked  lime,  and  slack  it 
with  boiling  water,  covering  it,  during  the  process. 
Strain  it,  and  add  a  peck  of  salt,  dissolved  in  warm 
water ;  three  pounds  of  ground  rice,  boiled  to  a  thin 
paste,  put  in  boiling  hot ;  half  a  pound  of  powdered 
Spanish  whiting ;  and  a  pound  of  clear  glue,  dissolved 
in  warm  water.  Mix,  and  let  it  stand  several  days. 
Heat  it  in  a  kettle,  on  a  portable  furnace,  and  apply 
it  as  hot  as  possible,  with  a  painter's  or  whitewash- 
brush. 

Another. 

Make  whitewash,  in  the  usual  way,  except  that  the 
water  used  should  be  hot,  and  nearly  saturated  with 
salt.  Then  stir  in  four  handfuls  of  fine  sand,  to  make 


280  ON    FIRES    AND    LIGHTS 

it  thick  like  cream.  Coloring  matter  can  be  added  to 
both,  making  a  light  stone-color,  a  cream-color,  or  a 
light  buff,  which  are  most  suitable  for  buildings 


CHAPTER    XXV. 

ON    FIRES    AND    LIGHTS. 

A  SHALLOW  fireplace  saves  wood,  and  gives  out  more 
heat  than  a  deeper  one.  A  false  back,  of  brick,  may 
be  put  up  in  a  deep  fireplace.  Hooks,  for  holding  up 
the  shovel  and  tongs,  a  hearth-brush  and  bellows,  and 
Drass  knobs  to  hang  them  on,  should  be  furnished  to 
3very  fireplace.  An  iron  bar,  across  the  andirons,  aids 
in  keeping  the  fire  safe,  and  in  good  order.  Steel  fur- 
niture is  more  genteel,  and  more  easily  kept  in  order, 
than  that  made  of  brass. 

Use  green  wood,  for  logs,  and  mix  green  and  dry 
wood  for  the  fire ;  and  then  the  woodpile  will  last 
much  longer.  Walnut,  maple,  hickory,  and  oak,  wood, 
are  best,  chestnut  or  hemlock  is  bad,  because  it  snaps. 
Do  not  buy  a  load,  in  which  there  are  many  crooked 
sticks.  Learn  how  to  measure  and  calculate  the  solid 
contents  of  a  load,  so  as  not  to  be  cheated.  Have  all 
your  wood  split,  and  piled  under  cover,  for  Winter. 
Have  the  green  wood  logs  in  one  pile,  dry  wood  in 
another,  oven- wood  in  another,  kindlings  and  chips  in 
another,  and  a  supply  of  charcoal  to  use  for  broiling 
and  ironing,  in  another  place.  Have  a  brick  bin,  for 
ashes,  and  never  allow  them  to  be  put  in  wood.  When 
quitting  fires,  at  night,  never  leave  a  burning  stick 
across  the  andirons,  nor  on  its  end,  without  quenching 
it.  See  that  no  fire  adheres  to  the  broom  or  brush , 
remove  all  articles  from  the  fire,  and  have  two  pails, 
filled  with  water,  in  the  kitchen,  where  they  will  not 
freeze. 


ON    FIRES    AND    LIGHTS. 

Stoves  and  Grates. 

Rooms,  heated  by  stoves,  should  always  nave  some 
opening  for  the  admission  of  fresh  air,  or  they  will  be 
injurious  to  health.  The  dryness  of  the  air,  which  they 
occasion,  should  be  remedied,  either  by  placing  a  ves- 
sel, filled  with  water,  on  the  stove,  or  by  hooking  a  long 
and  narrow  pan,  filled  with  water,  in  front  of  the  grate ; 
otherwise,  the  lungs  or  eyes  may  be  injured.  A  large 
number  of  plants  in  a  room,  prevents  this  dryness  of  the 
air.  Openings  for  pipes,  through  floors,  partitions, 
or  fireboards,  should  be  surrounded  by  tin,  to  prevent 
their  taking  fire.  Lengthening  a  pipe,  will  increase  its 
draught. 

For  those,  who  use  anthracite  coal,  that  which  is 
broken  or  screened,  is  best  for  grates,  and  the  nut-coal, 
for  small  stoves.  Three  tons  are  sufficient,  in  the  Mid- 
dle States,  and  four  tons  in  the  Northern,  to  keep  one 
fire  through  the  Winter.  That  which  is  bright,  hard, 
and  clean,  is  best ;  and  that  which  is  soft,  porous,  and 
covered  with  damp  dust,  is  poor.  It  will  be  well  to  pro- 
vide two  barrels  of  charcoal,  for  kindling,  to  every  ton 
of  anthracite  coal.  Grates,  for  bituminous  coal,  should 
have  a  flue  nearly  as  deep  as  the  grate ;  and  the  bars, 
should  be  round,  and  not  close  together.  The  better 
draught  there  is,  the  less  coal-dust  is  made.  Every 
grate  should  be  furnished  with  a  poker,  shovel,  tongs, 
blower,  coal-scuttle,  and  holder  for  the  blower.  The 
latter  may  be  made  of  woollen,  covered  with  old  silk, 
and  hung  near  the  fire. 

Coal-stoves  should  be  carefully  put  up,  as  cracks,  in 
the  pipe,  especially  in  sleeping  rooms,  are  dangerous. 

On  Lights. 

Lamps  are  better  than  candles,  as  they  give  a  steadiei 
light,  and  do  not  scatter  grease,  like  tallow  candles. 
The  best  oil,  is  clear,  and  nearly  colorless.  Winter- 
strained  oil  should  be  used  in  cold  weather.  Lard  is  a 
good  substitute  for  oil,  for  astral  and  other  large  lamps 
24*  D.  E. 


282  ON    FIRES    AND    LIGHTS. 

It  is  cheaper,  burns  clearer,  and  has  a  less  disagreeable 
smell.  It  will  not  burn  so  well  in  small  lamps,  as  in 
large  ones.  Melt  it  every  morning,  in  an  old  pitcher, 
kept  for  the  purpose.  Oil,  long  kept,  grows  thick,  and 
does  not  burn  well.  It  is  therefore  best  not  to  buy  it 
in  large  quantities.  It  should  never  be  left  standing  in 
lamps,  for  several  days,  as  this  spoils  it,  and  often  injures 
the  lamps.  Camphine  is  a  kind  of  oil  manufactured  in 
New  York,  which  does  not  smell  disagreeably,  nor  make 
grease-spots,  and  gives  a  brighter  light  than  the  best 
oil.  Cleanse  the  insides  of  lamps  and  oil-cans,  with 
pearlash-water.  Be  careful  to  drain  them  well,  and  not 
to  let  any  gilding,  or  bronze,  be  injured  by  the  pearlash- 
water  coming  in  contact  with  it.  Put  one  table-spoonful 
of  pearlash  to  one  quart  of  water. 

The  care  of  lamps  requires  so  much  attention  and 
discretion,  that  many  ladies  choose  to  do  this  work, 
themselves,  rather  than  trust  it  with  domestics.  To  do 
it  properly,  provide  the  following  things : — An  old 
waiter,  to  hold  all  the  articles  used ;  a  lamp-filler,  with 
a  spout,  small  at  the  end,  and  turned  up  to  prevent  oil 
from  dripping;  a  ball  of  wickyarn,  and  a  basket  to 
hold  it ;  a  lamp-trimmer,  made  for  the  purpose,  or  a 
pair  of  sharp  scissors  ;  a  small  soap-cup  and  soap ;  some 
pearlash,  in  a  broad-mouthed  bottle ;  and  several  soft 
cloths,  to  wash  the  articles,  and  towels,  to  wipe  them. 
If  every  thing,  after  being  used,  is  cleansed  from  oil. 
and  then  kept  neatly,  it  will  not  be  so  unpleasant  a  task, 
as  it  usually  is,  to  take  care  of  lamps. 

Wash  the  shade  of  an  astral  lamp,  once  a  week,  and 
the  glass  chimney  oftener.  Take  the  lamp  to  pieces, 
and  cleanse  it,  once  a  month.  Keep  dry  fingers,  in 
trimming  lamps.  To  raise  the  wick  of  an  astral  lamp, 
turn  it  to  the  right ;  to  lower  it,  turn  it  to  the  left. 
Trim  it,  after  it  has  been  once  used ;  and,  in  lighting 
it,  raise  it  to  the  proper  height,  as  soon  as  may  be,  or 
it  will  either  smoke,  or  form  a  crust.  Renew  the  wick, 
when  only  an  inch  and  a  half  long.  Close-woven 
wicks  are  better  than  those  which  are  loose.  Dipping 


ON    FIRES    AND    LIGHTS.  283 

wicks  in  vinegar,  makes  them  burn  clearer  than  they 
otherwise  would.  Plain  shades  do  not  injure  the  eyes, 
like  cut  ones  ;  and  prints  and  pictures  appear  better  by 
them,  than  by  the  others.  Lamps  should  be  lighted 
with  a  strip  of  folded  or  rolled  paper,  kept  on  the 
mantelpiece.  Weak  eyes  should  always  be  shaded 
from  the  lights.  Small  screens,  made  for  the  purpose, 
should  be  kept  at  hand.  A  person  with  weak  eyes, 
can  use  them,  safely,  much  longer,  when  they  are 
shaded  from  the  glare  of  the  light,  than  if  they  are  not 
so.  Fill  the  entry-lamp,  every  day,  and  cleanse  and 
fill  night-lanterns,  twice  a  week,  if  used  often.  Pro- 
vide small,  one-wicked  lamps,  to  carry  about;  and 
broad-bottomed  lamps,  for  the  kitchen,  as  these  are  not 
easily  upset. 

A  good  night-lamp  is  made,  with  a  small  one-wicked 
lamp  and  a  roll  of  tin  to  set  over  it.  Have  some  holes 
made  in  the  bottom  of  this  cover,  and  it  can  then  be 
used  to  heat  articles.  Very  cheap  floating  tapers,  can 
be  bought,  to  burn  in  a  teacup  of  oil  through  the  night. 

Wickyarn,  drawn  repeatedly  through  melted  wax,  till 
stiff  and  smooth,  makes  a  good  taper,  for  use  in  seal- 
ing letters.  It  can  be  twined  in  fanciful  forms,  and 
kept  on  the  writing-table. 

To  make  Candles. 

The  nicest  candles,  are  run  in  moulds.  For  this 
purpose,  melt  together  one  quarter  of  a  pound  of  white 
vvax,  one  quarter  of  an  ounce  of  camphor,  two  ounces 
of  alum,  and  ten  ounces  of  suet  or  mutton  tallow.  Soak 
the  wicks,  in  lime-water  and  saltpetre,  and,  when  dry, 
fix  them  in  the  moulds,  and  pour  in  the  melted  tallow. 
Let  them  remain  one  night,  t*  cool,  then  warm  them,  a 
little,  to  loosen  them,  draw  them  out,  and,  when  hard, 
put  them  in  a  box,  in  a  dry  and  cool  place 

To  make  dipped  candles,  cut  the  wicks  of  the  right 
length,  double  them  over  rods,  and  twist  them.  They 
should  first  br  dipped  in  lime-water,  or  vinegar,  and 
dried.  Mel'  the  tallow  in  a  large  kettle,  filling  it 


284  ON    WASHING. 

to  the  top  with  hot  water,  when  the  tallow  is  melted 
Put  in  wax,  and.  powdered  alum,  to  harden  them 
Keep  the  tallow  hot,  over  a  portable  furnace,  and  fill 
up  the  kettle,  with  hot  water,  as  fast  as  the  tallow  is 
used  up.  Lay  two  long  strips  of  narrow  board,  on 
which  to  hang  the  rods ;  and  set  flat  pans  under,  on 
the  floor,  to  catch  the  grease.  Take  several  rods  at 
once,  and  wet  the  wicks  in  the  tallow ;  and,  when  cool, 
straighten  and  smooth  them.  Then  dip  them,  as  fast  as 
they  cool,  until  they  become  of  the  proper  size.  Plunge 
them  obliquely,  and  not  perpendicularly  ;  and  when 
the  bottoms  are  too  large,  hold  them  in  the  hot  grease, 
till  a  part  melts  off.  Let  them  remain  one  night,  to 
cool ;  then  cut  off  the  bottoms,  and  keep  them  in  a  dry, 
cool  place.  Cheap  lights  are  made,  by  dipping  rushes 
in  tallow. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

ON    WASHING. 

THERE  is  nothing,  which  tends  more  effectually  to 
secure  good  washing,  than  a  full  supply  of  all  conveni- 
ences ;  and  among  these,  none  is  more  important,  than 
an  abundance  of  warm  and  cold  water :  but,  if  this  be 
obtained,  and  heated,  at  a  great  expense  of  time  and 
labor,  it  will  be  used  in  stinted  measure.  The  accom- 
modations described  on  page  275,  (Fig.  34,)  are  verj 
convenient  in  this  respect. 

Articles  to  be  provided  for  Washing. 

A  plenty  of  soft  water  is  a  very  important  item. 
When  this  cannot  be  had,  ley  or  soda  can  be  put  in 
hard  water,  to  soften  it ;  care  being  used  not  to  put  in 
so  much,  as  to  injure  the  hands  and  clothes.  Two 
wash-forms  are  needed ;  one  for  the  two  tubs  in  which 
to  put  the  suds,  and  the  other  for  blueing  and  starching- 
tubs.  Four  tubs,  of  different  sizes,  are  necessary  ;  also, 


ON    WASHING.  285 

a  large  wooden  dipper,  (as  metal  is  apt  to  rust ;)  two  or 
three  pails  ;  a  grooved  wash-board  ;  a  clothes-line,  (sea- 
grass,  or  horse-hair   is   best;)    a   wash-stick   to   move 
clothes,  when  boiling,  and  a  wooden  fork  to  take  them 
out.     Soap-dishes,  made  to  hook  on  the  tubs,  save  soap 
and  time.     Provide,  also,  a  clothes-bag,  in  which   to 
boil  clothes  ;  an  indigo-bag,  of  double  flannel ;  a  starch- 
strainer,  of  coarse  linen  ;  a  bottle  of  ox-gall  for  calicoes ; 
a  supply  of  starch,  neither   sour  nor   musty ;  several 
dozens  of  clothes-pins,  which  are  cleft  sticks,  used   to 
fasten  clothes  on  the  line;  a  bottle  of  dissolved  gum 
Arabic ;  two  clothes-baskets ;  and   a  brass  or   copper 
kettle,  for  boiling  clothes,  as  iron  is  apt  to  rust.     A 
closet,  for  keeping  all  these  things,  is  a  great  conveni- 
ence.    It  may  be  made  six  feet  high,  three  feet  deep, 
and  four  feet  wide.     The  tubs  and  pails  can  be  set  on 
the  bottom  of  this,  on  their  sides,  one  within  another. 
Four  feet  from  the  bottom,  have  a  shelf  placed,  on 
which  to  put  the  basket  of  clothes-pins,  the  line,  soap- 
iishes,    dipper,   and   clothes-fork.     Above   this,   have 
mother  shelf,  for  the  bottles,  boxes,  &c.     The  shelves 
;hould  reach  out  only  half  way  from  the  back,  and  nails 
should  be  put  at  the  sides,  for  hanging  the  wash-stick, 
:lothes-bag,  starch-bag,  and  indigo-bag.     The  ironing 
conveniences  might  be  kept  in  the  same  closet,  by  hav- 
ng  the  lower  shelf  raised  a  little,  and  putting  a  deep 
Irawer  under  it,  to  hold  the  ironing-sheets,  holders,  &c. 
\.  lock  and  key  should  be  put  on  the  closet.     If  the 
nistress  of  the  family  requests  the  washerwoman  to 
lotify  her,  when  she  is  through,  and  then  ascertains 
f  all  these  articles  are  put  in  their  places,  it  will  prove 
seful.      Tubs,  pails,  and  all   hooped   wooden   ware, 
hould  be  kept  out  of  the  sun,  and  in  a  cool  place,  or 
ley  will  fall  to  pieces. 

Common  Mode  of  Washing. 

Assort  the  clothes,  and  put  them  in  soak,  the  night 
efore.  Never  pour  hot  water  on  them,  as  it  sets  the 
irt.  In  assorting  clothes,  put  the  flannels  in  one  lot, 


286  ON    WASHING. 

the  colored  clothes  in  another,  the  coarse  white  ones 
in  a  third,  and  the  fine  clothes  in  a  fourth  lot.  Wash 
the  fine  clothes  in  one  tub  of  suds  ;  and  throw  them, 
when  wrung,  into  another.  Then  wash  them,  in  the 
second  suds,  turning  them  wrong  side  out.  Put  them 
in  the  boiling-bag,  and  boil  them  in  strong  suds,  for  half 
an  hour,  and  not  much  more.  Move  them,  while  boiling, 
with  the  clothes-stick.  Take  them  out  of  the  boiling 
bag,  and  put  them  into  a  tub  of  water,  and  rub  the 
dirtiest  places,  again,  if  need  be.  Throw  them  into  the 
rinsing-water,  and  then  wring  them  out,  and  put  them 
into  the  blueing-water.  Put  the  articles  to  be  stiffened, 
into  a  clothes-basket,  by  themselves,  and,  just  before 
hanging  out,  dip  them  in  starch,  clapping  it  in,  so 
as  to  have  them  equally  stiff,  in  all  parts.  Hang  white 
clothes  in  the  sun,  and  colored  ones,  (wrong  side  out,) 
in  the  shade.  Fasten  them  with  clothes-pins.  Then 
wash  the  coarser  white  articles,  in  the  same  manner. 
Then  wash  the  colored  clothes.  These  must  not  be 
soaked,  nor  have  ley  or  soda  put  in  the  water,  and  they 
ought  not  to  lie  wet  long  before  hanging  out,  as  it  in- 
jures their  colors.  Beefs-gall,  one  spoonful  to  two 
pailfuls  of  suds,  improves  calicoes.  Lastly,  wash  the 
flannels,  in  suds  as  hot  as  the  hand  can  bear.  Never 
rub  on  soap,  as  this  shrinks  them  in  spots.  Wring  them 
out  of  the  first  suds,  and  throw  them  into  another  tub 
of  hot  suds,  turning  them  wrong  side  out.  Then  throw 
them  into  hot  blueing-water.  Do  not  put  blueing  into 
suds,  as  it  makes  specks  in  the  flannel.  Never  leave 
flannels  long  in  water,  nor  put  them  in  cold  or  luke- 
warm water.  Before  hanging  them  out,  shake  and 
stretch  them.  Some  housekeepers  have  a  close  closet, 
made  with  slats  across  the  top.  On  these  slats,  they 
put  their  flannels,  when  ready  to  hang  out,  and  then 
burn  brimstone  under  them,  for' ten  minutes.  It  is  but 
little  trouble,  and  keeps  the  flannels  as  white  as  new. 
Wash  the  colored  flannels,  and  hose,  after  the  white, 
adding  more  hot  water.  Some  persons  dry  woollen 
hose  on  stocking-boards,  shaped  like  a  foot  and  leg, 


ON    WASHING. 

with  strings  to  tie  them  on  the  line.  This  keeps  them 
from  shrinking,  and  makes  them  look  better  than  if 
ironed.  It  is  also  less  work,  than  to  iron  them  properly. 

Bedding  should  be  washed  in  long  days,  and  in  hot 
weather.  Pound  blankets  in  two  different  tubs  or  bar- 
rels of  hot  suds,  first  well  mixing  the  soap  and  water. 
Rinse  in  hot  suds ;  and,  after  wringing,  let  two  persons 
shake  them  thoroughly,  and  then  hang  them  out.  If 
not  dry,  at  night,  fold  them,  and  hang  them  out  the 
next  morning.  Bedquilts  should  be  pounded  in  warm 
suds ;  and,  after  rinsing,  be  wrung  as  dry  as  possible. 
Bolsters  and  pillows  can  be  pounded  in  hot  suds,  without 
taking  out  the  feathers,  rinsing  them  in  fair  water.  It 
is  usually  best,  however,  for  nice  feathers,  to  take  them 
out,  wash  them,  and  dry  them  on  a  garret  floor.  Cotton 
comforters  should  have  the  cases  taken  off  and  washed. 
Wash  bedticks,  after  the  feathers  are  removed,  like 
other  things.  Empty  straw  beds  once  a  year. 

The  following  cautions,  in  regard  to  calicoes,  are  use- 
ful. Never  wash  them  in  very  warm  water ;  and 
change  the  water,  when  it  appears  dingy,  or  the  light 
parts  will  look  dirty.  Never  rub  on  soap ;  but  remove 
grease  with  French  chalk,  starch,  magnesia,  or  Wil- 
mington clay.  Make  starch  for  them,  with  coffee- 
water,  to  prevent  any  whitish  appearance.  Glue  is 
good  for  stiffening  calicoes.  When  laid  aside,  not  to 
be  used,  all  stiffening  should  be  washed  out,  or  they 
will  often  be  injured.  Never  let  calicoes  freeze,  in  dry 
ing.  Some  persons  use  bran-water,  (four  quarts  of 
wheat-bran  to  two  pails  of  water,)  and  no  soap,  for  cal- 
icoes ;  washing  and  rinsing  in  the  bran-water.  Potato- 
water  is  equally  good.  Take  eight  peeled  and  grated 
potatoes  to  one  gallon  of  water. 

Soda  -  Washing. 

A  very  great  saving  in  labor  is  secured,  by  soda-wash- 
ing.  There  nave  been  mistakes  made  in  receipts,  and 
in  modes  of  doing  it,  which  have  caused  a  prejudice 
against  it ;  but  if  the  soap  be  rightly  made,  and  rightly 


288  ON    WASHING 

used,  it  certainly  saves  one  half  the  labor  and  time  of 
ordinary  washing. 

Receipt  for  Soda-Soap. 

Take  eight  pounds  of  bar-soap,  eight  pounds  of  coarse 
soda,  (the  sub-carbonate,)  ten  gallons  of  soft  water, 
boiled  two  hours,  stirring  it  often.  This  is  to  be  cooled, 
and  set  away  for  use.  In  washing,  take  a  pound  of 
this  soap,  to  the  largest  pail  of  water,  and  heat  till  it 
boils.  Having  previously  soaked  the  white  c!6thes,  in 
warm,  not  hot,  water,  put  them  in  this  boiling  mixture, 
and  let  them  boil  one  hour  and  no  more.  Take  them  out, 
draining  them  well,  and  put  them  in  a  tub,  half  full  of 
soft  water.  Turn  them  wrong  side  out ;  rub  the  'soiled 
places,  till  they  look  clean ;  then  put  them  into  blue 
rinsing-water,  and  wring  them  out.  They  are  then 
ready  to  hang  out.  Some  persons  use  another  rinsing- 
water.  The  colored  clothes  and  flannels  must  not  be 
washed  in  this  way.  The  fine  clothes  may  be  first 
boiled  in  this  water ;  it  may  then  be  used  for  coarser 
clothes  ;  and  afterward,  the  brown  towels,  and  other 
articles  of  that  nature,  may  be  boiled  in  the  same  water. 
After  this,  the  water  which  remains,  is  still  useful,  for 
washing  floors ;  and  then,  the  suds  is  a  good  manure  to 
put  around  plants. 

It  is  best  to  prepare,  at  once,  the  whole  quantity  of 
water  to  be  used.  Take  out  about  one  third,  and  set  it 
oy  ;  and  every  time  a  fresh  supply  of  clothes  is  put  in, 
use  a  portion  of  this,  to  supply  the  waste  of  a  former 
boiling. 

Modes  of  Washing  Various  Articles. 

Brown  Linens,  or  Muslins,  of  tea,  drab,  or  olive, 
colors,  look  best,  washed  in  hay-water.  Put  in  hay 
enough,  to  color  the  water  like  new  brown  linen. 
Wash  them  first  in  lukewarm,  fair  water,  without  soap, 
(removing  grease  with  French  chalk,)  then  wash  and 
rinse  them  in  the  hay-water. 

Nankeens  look  best,  washed  in  suds,  with  a  teacup 


ON    WASHING.  289 

ol  ley  added  for  each  pailful.  Iron  on  the  wrong  side 
Soak  new  nankeens  in  ley,  for  one  night,  and  it  sets  the 
color  perfectly. 

Woollen  Table -Covers  and  Woollen  Shawls,  may 
be  washed  thus:  Remove  grease  as  before  directed. 
If  there  be  stains  in  the  articles,  take  them  out  with 
spirits  of  hartshorn.  Wash  the  things  in  two  portions 
of  hot  suds,  made  of  white  soap.  Do  not  wring  them, 
but  fold  them  and  press  the  water  out,  catching  it  in  a 
tub,  under  a  table.  Shake,  stretch,  and  dry,  neither 
by  the  sun  nor  a  fire,  and  do  not  let  them  freeze,  in 
drying.  Sprinkle  them  three  hours  before  ironing,  and 
fold  and  roll  them  tight.  Iron  them  heavily  on  the  wrong 
side.  Woollen  yarn,  should  be  washed  in  very  hot  water, 
putting  in  a  teacupful  of  ley,  and  no  soap,  to  half  a  pail- 
ful of  water.  Rinse  till  the  water  comes  off  clear. 

New  Black  Worsted  and  Woollen  Hose,  should  be 
soaked  all  night,  and  washed  in  hot  suds,  with  beefs- 
gall,  a  tablespoonful  to  half  a  pail  of  water.  Rinse  till 
no  color  comes  out.  Iron  on  the  wrong  side. 

To  Cleanse  Gentlemen's  Broadcloths.  The  common 
mode,  is,  to  shake,  and  brush  the  articles,  and  rip  out 
linings  and  pockets ;  then  to  wash  them  in  strong  suds, 
adding  a  teacupful  of  ley,  using  white  soap  for  light 
cloth ;  rolling  and  then  pressing,  instead  of  wringing, 
them ;  when  dry,  sprinkling  them,  and  letting  them  lie  all 
night ;  and  ironing  on  the  wrong  side,  or  with  a  thin  dark 
cloth  over  the  article,  until  perfectly  dry.  But  a  far 
better  way,  which  the  writer  has  repeatedly  tried,  with 
unfailing  success,  is  the  following :  Take  one  beefs-gall, 
half  a  pound  of  salaeratus,  and  four  gallons  of  warm 
water.  Lay  the  article  on  a  table,  and  scour  it  thor- 
oughly, in  every  part,  with  a  clothes-brush,  dipped  in 
this  mixture.  The  collar  of  a  coat,  and  the  grease-spots, 
(previously  marked  by  stitches  of  white  thread,)  must 
be  repeatedly  brushed.  Then,  take  the  article,  and 
rinse  it  up  and  down  in  the  mixture.  Then,  rinse  it 
up  and  down  in  a  tub  of  soft  cold  water.  Then,  with- 
out wringing  or  pressing,  hang  ;t  to  drain  and  dry. 
25  D.  E. 


290  ON    WASHING 

Fasten  a  coat  up  by  the  collar.  When  perfectly  dry, 
it  is  sometimes  the  case,  with  coats,  that  nothing  more 
is  needed.  In  other  cases,  it  is  necessary  to  dampen 
the  parts,  which  look  wrinkled,  with  a  sponge,  and 
either  pull  them  smooth,  with  the  fingers,  or  press  them 
with  an  iron,  having  a  piece  of  bombazine,  or  thin 
woollen  cloth,  between  the  iron  and  the  article. 

To  manufacture  Ley,  Soap,  Starch,  and  other  Articles  used 
in  Washing. 

To  make  Ley.  Provide  a  large  tub,  made  of  pine 
or  ash,  and  set  it  on  a  form,  so  high,  that  a  tub  can 
stand  under  it.  Make  a  hole,  an  inch  in  diameter, 
near  the  bottom,  on  one  side.  Lay  bricks,  inside,  about 
this  hole,  and  straw  over  them.  To  every  seven 
bushels  of  ashes,  add  two  gallons  of  unslacked  lime,  and 
throw  in  the  ashes  and  lime  in  alternate  layers.  While 
putting  in  the  ashes  and  lime,  pour  on  boiling  water, 
using  three  or  four  pailfuls.  After  this,  add  a  pailful 
of  cold  soft  water,  once  an  hour,  till  all  the  ashes  appear 
to  be  well  soaked.  Catch  the  drippings,  in  a  tub,  and 
try  its  strength  with  an  egg.  If  the  egg  rise  so  as  to 
show  a  circle  as  large  as  a  ten  cent  piece,  the  strength 
is  right;  if  it  rise  higher,  the  ley  must  be  weak- 
ened by  water;  if  not  so  high,  the  ashes  are  not 
good,  and  the  whole  process  must  be  repeated,  putting 
in  fresh  ashes,  and  running  the  weak  ley  through  the 
new  ashes,  with  some  additional  water.  Quick-ley  is 
made  by  pouring  one  gallon  of  boiling  soft  water  on 
three  quarts  of  ashes,  and  straining  it.  Oak  ashes  are 
best. 

To  make  Soft- Soap.  Save  all  drippings  and  fat, 
melt  them,  and  set  them  away,  in  cakes.  Some  per- 
sons keep,  for  soap-grease,  a  half  barrel,  with  weak  ley 
in  it,  and  a  cover  over  it.  To  make  soft-soap,  take 
the  proportion  of  one  pailful  of  ley  to  three  pounds  of 
fat.  Melt  the  fat,  and  pour  in  the  ley,  by  degrees. 
Boil  it  steadily,  through  the  day,  till  it  is  ropy.  If  no\ 
boiled  enough,  on  cooling,  it  will  turn  to  Tey  and  sedi 


ON    WASHING.  291 

nient.  While  boiling,  there  should  always  be  a  little 
oil  on  the  surface,  if  this  does  not  appear,  add  more 
grease.  If  there  is  too  much  grease,  on  cooling,  it  will 
rise,  and  can  be  skimmed  off.  Try  it,  by  cooling  u 
small  quantity.  When  it  appears  like  gelly,  on  becoming 
cold,  it  is  done.  It  must  then  be  put  in  a  cool  plare 
and  often  stirred. 

To  make  cold  Soft-Soap,  melt  thirty  pounds  of  grease 
put  it  in  a  barrel,  add  four  pailfuls  of  strong  ley,  anc 
stir  it  up  thoroughly.  Then  gradually  add  more  ley 
till  the  barrel  is  nearly  full,  and  the  soap  looks  about  right. 

To  make  Potash-Soap,  melt  thirty-nine  pounds  of 
grease,  and  put  it  in  a  barrel.  Take  twenty-nine 
pounds  of  light  ash-colored  potash,  (the  reddish- 
colored  will  spoil  the  soap,)  and  pour  hot  water  on  it ; 
then  pour  it  off  into  the  grease,  stirring  it  well.  Con- 
tinue thus,  till  all  the  potash  is  melted.  Add  one  pail- 
ful of  cold  water,  stirring  it  a  great  deal,  every  day,  till 
the  barrel  be  full,  and  then  it  is  done.  This  is  the 
cheapest  and  best  kind  of  soap.  It  is  best  to  sell  ashes 
and  buy  potash.  The  soap  is  better,  if  it  stand  a  year 
before  it  is  used ;  therefore  make  two  barrels  at  once. 

To  make  Hard  White  Soap,  take  fifteen  pounds  of 
lard,  or  suet ;  and,  when  boiling,  add,  slowly,  five 
gallons  of  ley,  mixed  with  one  gallon  of  water.  Cool 
a  small  portion ;  and,  if  no  grease  rise,  it  is  done  : 
if  grease  do  rise,  add  ley,  and  boil  till  no  grease  rises. 
Then  add  three  quarts  of  fine  salt,  and  boil  it ;  if  this 
do  not  harden  well,  on  cooling,  add  more  salt.  Cool 
it,  and  if  it  is  to  be  perfumed,  melt  it  next  day,  put  in 
the  perfume,  and  then  run  it  in  moulds,  or  cut  it  in 
cakes.  Common  Hard  Soap,  is  made  in  the  same  way, 
by  using  common  fat. 

To  manufacture  Starch,  cleanse  a  peck  of  unground 
wheat,  and  soak  it,  for  several  days,  in  soft  water. 
When  quite  soft,  remove  the  husks,  with  the  hand,  and 
the  soft  parts  will  settle.  Pour  off  the  water,  and  re- 
place it,  every  day,  with  that  which  is  fresh,  stirring  it 
well.  When,  after  stirring  and  settling,  tfce  water  is 


ON    STARCHING,    IRONING,    AND    CLEANSING. 

clear,  it  is  done.  Then  strain  off  the  water,  and  dry 
the  starch,  for  several  days,  in  the  sun  If  the  water  be 
permitted  to  remain  too  long,  it  sours,  and  the  starch  is 
poor.  If  the  starch  be  not  well  dried,  it  grows  musty. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

ON    STARCHING,    IRONING,    AND    CLEANSING. 

To  prepare  Starch.  Take  four  tablespoonfuls  of 
starch ;  put  in  as  much  water ;  and  rub  it,  till  all  lumps  are 
removed.  Then,  add  half  a  cup  of  cold  water.  Pour 
this  into  a  quart  of  boiling  water,  and  boil  it  for  half  an 
hour,  adding  a  piece  of  spermaceti,  or  a  lump  of  salt, 
or  sugar,  as  large  as  a  hazelnut.  Strain  it,  and  put  in 
a  very  little  blueing.  Thin  it  with  hot  water. 

Glue  and  Gum-Starch.  Put  a  piece  of  glue,  four 
inches  square,  into  three  quarts  of  water,  boil  it,  and 
keep  it  in  a  bottle,  corked  up.  Dissolve  four  ounces 
of  gum  Arabic,  in  a  quart  of  hot  water,  and  set  it 
away,  in  a  bottle,  corked.  Use  the  glue  for  calicoes, 
and  the  gum  for  silks  and  muslins,  both  to  be  mixed 
with  water,  at  discretion. 

Beefs-Gall.  Send  a  junk-bottle  to  the  butcher, 
and  have  several  gall-bladders  emptied  into  it.  Keep 
it  salted,  and  in  a  cool  place.  Some  persons  perfume 
it ;  but  fresh  air  removes  the  unpleasant  smell  which  it 
gives,  when  used  for  clothes. 

Directions  for  Starching  Muslins  and  Laces. 

Many  ladies  clap  muslins,  then  dry  them,  and  after- 
wards sprinkle  them.  This  saves  time.  Others  clap 
them,  till  nearly  dry,  then  fold  and  cover,  and  then  iron 
them.  Iron  wrought  muslins  on  soft  flannel,  and  on 
the  wrong  side. 

To  do  up  Laces,  nicely,  sew  a  clean  piece  of  muslin 
around  a  long  bottie,  and  roll  the  lace  on  it ;  Dulling 


ON    STARCHING,    IRONING,    AND    CLEANSING.         293 

out  the  edge,  and  rolling  it  so  that  the  edge  will  turn 
in,  and  be  covered,  as  you  roll.  Fill  the  bottle  with 
water,  and  then  boil  it,  for  an  hour,  in  a  suds  made  with 
white  soap.  Rinse  it  in  fair  water,  a  little  blued  ;  dry 
it  in  the  sun ;  and,  if  any  stiffening  is  wished,  use  thin 
starch,  or  gum  Arabic.  When  dry,  fold  and  press  it, 
between  white  papers,  in  a  large  book.  It  improves 
the  lace,  to  wet  it  with  sweet-oil,  after  it  is  rolled  on  the 
bottle,  and  before  boiling  in  the  suds.  Blond  laces 
can  be  whitened,  by  rolling  them  on  a  bottle,  in  this 
way,  and  then  setting  the  bottle  in  the  sun,  in  a  dish  of 
cold  suds  made  with  white  soap,  wetting  it  thoroughly, 
and  changing  the  suds,  every  day.  Do  this,  for  a  week 
or  more  ;  then  rinse,  in  fair  water ;  dry  it  on  the  bottle, 
in  the  sun ;  and  stiffen  it  with  white  gum  Arabic.  Lay 
it  away  in  loose  folds.  Lace  veils  can  be  whitened,  by 
laying  them  in  flat  dishes,  in  suds  made  with  white 
soap ;  then  rinsing,  and  stiffening  them  with  gum 
Arabic,  stretching  them,  and  pinning  them  on  a  sheet, 
to  dry. 

ON   IRONING. 

Articles  to  be  provided  for  Ironing. 

A  settee,  or  settle,  made  so  that  it  can  be  used  for  an 
ironing-table,  is  a  great  convenience.  It  may  be  made 
of  pine,  and  of  the  following  dimensions  :  length,  five 
feet  and  six  inches  ;  width  of  the  seat,  one  foot  and  nine 
inches  ;  height  of  the  seat,  one  foot  and  three  inches ; 
height  of  the  sides,  (or  arms  of  the  seat,)  two  feet  and  four 
inches  ;  height  of  the  back,  five  feet  and  three  inches. 
The  back  should  be  made  with  hinges,  of  the  height  of 
the  sides  or  arms,  so  that  it  can  be  turned  down,  and  rest 
on  them,  and  thus  become  an  ironing-table.  The  back 
ts  to  be  fastened  up,  behind,  with  long  iron  hooks  and 
staples.  The  seat  should  be  made  with  two  lids,  open- 
ing into  two  boxes,  or  partitions,  in  one  of  which,  can 
be  kept  the  ironing-sheets  and  holders,  and  in  the  other, 
the  other  articles  used  in  ironing.  It  can  be  stained 
of  a  cherry-color  ;  put  on  casters,  so  as  to  move  easily  : 
25*  D.  K 


294        ON    STARCHING,    IRONING,    AND    CLEANSING. 

and  be  provided  wita  two  cushions,  stuffed  with  hay 
and  covered  with  dark  woollen.  It  thus  serves  as  a 
comfortable  seat,  for  Winter,  protecting  the  back  from 
cold. 

Where  a  settee,  of  this  description,  is  not  provided,  a 
large  ironing-board,  made  so  as  not  to  warp,  should  be 
kept,  and  used  only  for  this  purpose,  to  be  laid,  when 
used,  on  a  table.  Provide,  also,  the  following  articles : 
A  woollen  ironing-blanket,  and  a  linen  or  cotton  sheet, 
to  spread  over  it ;  a  large  fire,  of  charcoal  and  hard 
wood,  (unless  furnaces  or  stoves  are  used ;)  a  hearth, 
free  from  cinders  and  ashes,  a  piece  of  sheet-iron,  in 
front  of  the  fire,  on  which  to  set  the  irons,  while  heat- 
ing ;  (this  last  saves  many  black  spots  from  careless 
ironers ;)  three  or  four  holders,  made  of  woollen,  and 
covered  with  old  silk,  as  these  do  not  easily  take  fire ; 
two  iron  rings,  or  iron-stands,  on  which  to  set  the  irons, 
and  small  pieces  of  board  to  put  under  them,  to  prevent 
scorching  the  sheet ;  linen  or  cotton  wipers  ;  and  a  piece 
of  beeswax,  to  rub  on  the  irons  when  they  are  smoked. 
There  should  be,  at  least,  three  irons  for  each  person 
ironing,  and  a  small  and  large  clothes-frame,  on  which 
to  air  the  fine  and  coarse  clothes. 

A  bosom  board,  on  which  to  iron  shirt-bosoms,  should 
be  made,  one  foot  and  a  half  long,  and  nine  inches 
wide,  and  covered  with  white  flannel.  A  skirt-board 
on  which  to  iron  frock-skirts,  should  be  made,  five  feet 
long,  and  two  feet  wide  at  one  end,  tapering  to  one 
foot  and  three  inches  wide,  at  the  other  end.  This 
should  be  covered  with  flannel ;  and  will  save  much 
trouble,  in  ironing  nice  dresses.  The  large  end  may 
be  put  on  the  table,  and  the  other,  on  the  back  of  a 
chair.  Both  these  boards  should  have  cotton  covers, 
made  to  fit  them ;  and  these  should  be  changed  and 
washed,  when  dirty.  These  boards  are  often  useful, 
when  articles  are  to  be  ironed  or  pressed,  in  a  chamber 
or  parlor.  Provide,  also,  a  press-board,  for  broadcloth, 
two  feet  long,  and  four  inches  wide  at  one  end,  taper- 
ing to  three  inches  wide,  at  the  other. 


ON  STARCHING,  IRONING,  AND  CLEANSING.          295 

A  fluting-iron,  called,  also,  a  patent  Italian  iron, 
saves  much  labor,  in  ironing  ruffles  neatly.  A  crimp- 
mg-iron,  will  crimp  ruffles  beautifully,  with  very  little 
time  or  trouble.  Care  must  be  used,  with  the  latter,  or 
it  will  cut  the  ruffles.  A  trial  should  be  made,  with 
old  muslins ;  and,  when  the  iron  is  screwed  in  the  right 
place,  it  must  be  so  kept,  and  not  altered  without  leave 
from  the  housekeeper.  If  the  lady  of  the  house  will 
provide  all  these  articles,  see  that  the  fires  are  properly 
made,  the  ironing-sheets  evenly  put  on  and  properly  pin- 
ned, the  clothes-frames  dusted,  and  all  articles  kept  in  their 
places,  she  will  do  much  towards  securing  good  ironing. 

On  Sprinkling,  Folding,  and  Ironing. 

Wipe  the  dust  from  the  ironing-board,  and  lay  it 
down,  to  receive  the  clothes,  which  should  be  sprinkled 
with  clear  water,  and  laid  in  separate  piles,  one  of 
colored,  one  of  common,  and  one  of  fine  articles,  and  one 
of  flannels.  Fold  the  fine  things,  and  roll  them  in  a 
towel,  and  then  fold  the  rest,  turning  them  all  right  side 
outward.  The  colored  clothes  should  be  laid  separate 
from  the  rest,  and  ought  not  to  lie  long  damp,  as  it  in- 
jures the  colors.  The  sheets  and  table  linen  should  be 
shaken,  stretched,  and  folded,  by  two  persons.  Iron  lace 
and  needle- work  on  the  wrong  side,  and  carry  them  away, 
as  soon  as  dry.  Iron  calicoes  with  irons  which  are  not 
very  hot,  and  generally  on  the  right  side,  as  they  thus 
keep  clean  for  a  longer  time.  In  ironing  a  frock,  first 
do  the  waist,  then  the  sleeves,  then  the  skirt.  Keep 
the  skirt  rolled,  while  ironing  the  other  parts,  and  set  a 
chair,  to  hold  the  sleeves,  while  ironing  the  skirt,  unless  a 
skirt-board  be  used.  In  ironing  a  shirt,  first  do  the  back, 
then  the  sleeves,  then  the  collar  and  bosom,  and  then 
the  front.  Iron  silk  on  the  wrong  side,  when  quite 
damp,  with  an  iron  which  is  not  very  hot.  Light 
colors  are  apt  to  change  and  fade.  Iron  velvet,  by 
turning  up  the  face  of  the  iron,  and  after  dampening 
the  wrong  side  of  the  velvet,  draw  it  over  the  face  of 
the  iron,  holding  it  straight,  and  not  biased 


296  ON  WHITENING,  CLEANSING,  AND  DYEING 

CHAPTER    XXVIII. 

ON    WHITENING,    CLEANSING,    AND    DYEING. 

To  Whiten  Articles,  and  Remove  Stains  from  tiem. 

WET  white  clothes  in  suds,  and  lay  them  on  the 
grass,  in  the  sun.  Lay  muslins  in  suds  made  with 
white  soap,  in  a  flat  dish ;  set  this  in  the  sun,  changing 
the  suds,  every  day.  Whiten  tow-cloth,  or  brown 
linen,  by  keeping  it  in  ley,  through  the  night,  laying  it 
out  in  the  sun,  and  wetting  it  with  fair  water,  as  fast  as 
it  dries. 

Scorched  articles  can  often  be  whitened  again,  by 
laying  them  in  the  sun,  wet  with  suds.  Where  this 
does  not  answer,  put  a  pound  of  white  soap  in  a  gallon 
of  milk,  and  boil  the  article  in  it.  Another  method,  is, 
to  chop  and  extract  the  juice  from  two  onions,  and  boil 
this  with  half  a  pint  of  vinegar,  an  ounce  of  white  soap, 
and  two  ounces  of  fuller's  earth.  Spread  this,  when 
cool,  on  the  scorched  part,  and,  when  dry,  wash  it  off,  in 
fair  water.  Mildew  may  be  removed,  by  dipping  the 
article  in  sour  buttermilk,  laying  it  in  the  sun,  and, 
after  it  is  white,  rinsing  it  in  fair  water.  Soap  and 
chalk  are  also  good  ;  also,  soap  and  starch,  adding  half 
as  much  salt  as  there  is  starch,  together  with  the  juice 
of  a  lemon.  Stains  in  linen  can  often  be  removed,  by 
rubbing  on  soft  soap,  then  putting  on  a  starch  paste 
and  drying  in  the  sun,  renewing  it  several  times.  Wash 
off  all  the  soap  and  starch,  in  cold,  fair  water. 

Mixtures  for  Removing  Stains  and  Grease. 

Stain-Mixture.  Half  an  ounce  of  oxalic  acid,  in  p 
pint  of  soft  water.  This  can  be  kept  in  a  corked  bottle 
and  is  infallible  in  removing  iron-rust,  and  ink-stains 
It  is  very  poisonous.  The  article  must  be  spread  with 
this  mixture  over  the  steam  of  hot  water,  and  wet 
several  times.  This  will  also  remove  indelible  ink 


ON  WHITENING,  CLEANSING,  AND  DYEING.  297 

The  article  must  be  washed,  or  the  mixture  will  in- 
jure it. 

Another  Stain-Mixture  is  made,  by  mixing  one  ounce 
of  sal  ammoniac,  one  ounce  of  salt  of  tartar,  and  one 
pint  of  soft  water. 

To  remove  Grease.  Mix  four  ounces  of  fuller's 
earth,  half  an  ounce  of  pearlash,  and  lemon-juice 
enough  to  make  a  stiff  paste,  which  can  be  dried  in 
balls,  and  kept  for  use.  Wet  the  greased  spot  with 
cold  water,  rub  it  with  the  ball,  dry  it,  and  then  rinse  it 
with  fair  cold  water.  This  is  for  white  articles.  For 
silks,  and  worsteds,  use  French  chalk,  which  can  be 
procured  of  the  apothecaries.  That  which  is  soft  and 
white,  is  best.  Scrape  it  on  the  greased  spot,  and  let  it 
lie  for  a  day  and  night.  Then  renew  it,  till  the  spot 
disappears.  Wilmington  clay-balls,  are  equally  good. 
Ink-spots  can  often  be  removed  from  white  clothes, 
by  rubbing  on  common  tallow,  leaving  it  for  a  day  or 
two,  and  then  washing,  as  usual.  Grease  can  be  taken 
out  of  wall-paper,  by  making  a  paste  of  potter's  clay, 
water  and  ox-gall,  and  spreading  it  on  the  paper 
When  dry,  renew  it,  till  the  spot  disappears. 

Stains  on  floors,  from  soot,  or  stove-pipes,  can  be 
removed,  by  washing  the  spot  in  sulphuric  acid  and 
water.  Stains,  in  colored  silk  dresses,  can  often  be 
removed,  by  pure  water.  Those  made  by  acids,  tea, 
wine,  and  fruits,  can  often  be  removed,  by,  spirits  of 
hartshorn,  diluted  with  an  equal  quantity  of  water. 
Sometimes,  it  must  be  repeated,  several  times. 

Tar,  Pitch,  and  Turpentine,  can  be  removed,  by 
putting  the  spot  in  sweet-oil,  or  by  spreading  tallow  on 
it,  and  letting  it  remain  for  twenty-four  hours.  Then, 
if  the  article  be  linen  or  cotton,  wash  it,  as  usual ;  if  it 
be  silk  or  worsted,  rub  it  with  ether,  or  spirits  of  wine. 

Lamp- Oil  can  be  removed,  from  floors,  carpets,  and 
other  articles,  by  spreading  upon  the  stain  a  paste,  made 
of  fuller's  earth  or  potter's  clay,  and  renewing  it,  when 
dry,  till  the  stain  is  removed.  If  gall  be  put  into  the 
paste,  it  will  preserve  the  colors  from  injury.  When 


298         ON    WHITENING,    CLEANSING,    AND    DYEING. 

the  stain  has  been  removed,  carefully  brush  off  the 
paste,  with  a  soft  brush. 

Oil-Paint  can  be  removed,  by  rubbing  it  with  very 
pure  spirits  of  turpentine.  The  impure  spirit  leaves  a 
grease-spot.  Wax  can  be  removed,  by  scraping  it  off, 
and  then  holding  a  red-hot  poker  near  the  spot.  Sper- 
maceti may  be  removed  by  scraping  it  off,  then  putting 
a  paper  over  the  spot,  and  applying  a  warm  iron.  If 
this  does  not  answer,  rub  on  spirits  of  wine. 

Ink-Stains,  in  carpets  and  woollen  table-covers, 
can  be  removed,  by  washing  the  spot  in  a  liquid,  com- 
posed of  one  teaspoonful  of  oxalic  acid  dissolved  in  a 
teacupful  of  warm  (not  hot)  water,  and  then  rinsing  in 
cold  water. 

Stains  on  Varnished  Articles,  which  are  caused  by 
cups  of  hot  water,  can  be  removed,  by  rubbing  them 
with  lamp-oil,  and  then  with  alcohol.  Ink-stains  can 
be  taken  out  of  mahogany,  by  one  teaspoonful  of  oil 
of  vitriol  mixed  with  one  tablespoonful  of  water,  or  by 
oxalic  acid  and  water.  These  must  be  brushed  over 
quickly,  and  then  washed  off  with  milk. 

Modes  of  Cleansing   Various  Articles. 

Silk  Handkerchiefs  and  Ribands  can  be  cleansed, 
by  using  French  chalk  to  take  out  the  grease,  and  then 
sponging  them,  on  both  sides,  with  lukewarm  fair  water. 
Stiffen  them  with  gum  Arabic,  and  press  them  between 
white  paper,  with  an  iron  not  very  hot.  A  table- 
spoonful  of  spirits  of  wine  to  three  quarts  of  water, 
improves  it. 

Silk  Hose,  or  Silk  Gloves,  should  be  washed  in  warm 
suds  made  with  white  soap,  and  rinsed  in  cold  water ; 
they  should  then  be  stretched  and  rubbed,  with  a  hard- 
rolled  flannel,  till  they  are  quite  dry.  Ironing  them, 
very  much  injures  their  looks.  Wash-leather  articles 
should  have  the  grease  removed  from  them,  by  French 
chalk,  or  magnesia;  they  should  then  be  washed  in 
warm  suds,  and  rinsed  in  cold  water.  White  Kid 
Gloves  should  have  the  grease  removed  from  them,  as 


ON    WHITENING,    CLEANSING,    AND    BYElNG.        299 

nliove  directed.  They  should  then  be  brushed,  with  a 
suit  brush,  and  a  mixture  of  fuller's  earth  and  mag- 
nesia. In  an  hour  after,  rub  them  with  flannel,  dipped 
in  bran  and  powdered  whiting.  Colored  or  Hoskin's 
gloves  can  be  cleansed  very  nicely  by  diluted  spirits  of 
hartshorn,  put  on  with  a  woollen  cloth,  and  rubbed 
from  wrist  to  fingers.  Hang  them  for  several  days  in 
the  air,  and  all  the  unpleasant  smell  will  be  removed. 
Gentkmen's  white  gloves  should  be  washed  with  a 
sponge,  in  white-soapsuds ;  then  wiped,  and  dried  on 
the  hands.  Swan's-down  tippets,  and  capes,  should  be 
washed  in  white-soapsuds,  squeezing,  and  not  rub- 
bing them ;  then  rinse  them  in  two  waters,  and  shake 
and  stretch  them  while  drying.  Ostrich  feathers  can 
also  be  thus  washed.  Stiffen  them,  with  starch,  wet  in 
cold  water  and  not  boiled.  Shake  them  in  the  air,  till 
nearly  dry,  then  hold  them  before  the  fire,  and  curl 
them  with  dull  scissors,  giving  each  fibre  a  twitch,  turn- 
ing it  inward,  and  holding  it  so  for  a  moment. 

Straw  and  Leghorn  Hats,  can  be  cleansed,  by  simply 
washing  them  in  white-soapsuds.  Remove  grease,  by 
French  chalk,  and  stains,  by  diluted  oxalic  acid,  or 
cream  of  tartar.  The  oxalic  acid  is  best,  but  must  be 
instantly  washed  off.  To  whiten'  them,  drive  nails  in  a 
barrel,  near  its  bottom,  so  that  cords  can  be  stretched 
across.  On  these  cords,  tie  the  bonnet,  wet  with  suds, 
(having  first  removed  the  grease,  stains,  and  dirt.) 
Then  invert  the  barrel,  over  a  dish  of  coals,  on  which 
roll  brimstone  is  slowly  burning.  Put  a  chip  under  one 
side  of  the  barrel,  to  admit  the  air.  Continue  this,  till 
the  bonnet  is  white  ;  then  hang  it  in  the  air,  (when  tlfc 
weather  is  not  damp,)  till  the  smell  is  removed.  Then 
stiffen  it  with  a  solution  of  isinglass  or  gum  Arabic, 
put  on  the  inside,  with  a  sponge.  Press  the  crown,  on 
a  block,  and  the  rest  on  a  board,  on  the  right  side,  put- 
ting muslin  between  the  iron  and  straw,  and  pressing 
hard.  Be  careful  not  to  make  it  too  stiff.  First,  stiffen 
a  small  piece,  for  trial. 


300        ON    WHITENiNCr,    CLEANSING,    AND    DYEING. 


ON    COLORING. 

Precautions  and  Preparations. 

All  the  articles  must  be  entirely  free  from  grease  or 
oil,  and  also,  in  most  cases,  from  soapsuds.  Make 
light  dyes  in  brass,  and  dark  ones  in  iron,  vessels.  Al- 
ways wet  the  articles,  in  fair  water,  before  dyeing. 
Always  carefully  strain  the  dye.  If  the  color  be  too 
light,  dry  and  then  dip  the  article  again.  Stir  the 
article  well  in  the  dye,  lifting  it  up  often.  Remove 
any  previous  color,  by  boiling  in  suds,  or,  what  is  bet- 
ter, in  the  soda  mixture  used  for  washing. 

Pink  Dye.  Buy  a  saucer  of  carmine,  at  an  apoth- 
ecary's. With  it,  you  will  find  directions  for  its  use. 
This  is  cheap,  easy  to  use,  and  beautiful.  Balm  blos- 
soms and  Bergamot  blossoms,  with  a  little  cream  of 
tartar  in  the  water,  make  a  pretty  pink. 

Red  Dye.  Take  half  a  pound  of  wheat  bran,  three 
ounces  of  powdered  alum,  and  two  gallons  of  soft 
water.  Boil  these  in  a  brass  vessel,  and  add  an  ounce 
of  cream  of  tartar,  and  an  ounce  of  cochineal,  tied  up 
together  in  a  bag;  Boil  the  mixture  for  fifteen  minutes, 
then  strain  it,  and  dip  the  articles.  Brazil  wood,  set 
with  alum,  makes  another  red  dye. 

Yellow  Dye.  Fustic,  turmeric  powder,  saffron, 
barberry-bush,  peach-leaves,  or  marigold  flowers,  make 
a  yellow  dye.  Set  the  dye  with  alum,  putting  a  piece 
the  size  of  a  large  hazelnut  to  each  quart  of  water. 

Light  Blue  Dye,  for  silks  and  woollens,  is  made  with 
the  'blue  composition,'  to  be  procured  of  the  hat- 
makers  ;  fifteen  drops  to  a  quart  of  water.  Articles 
dipped  in  this,  must  be  thoroughly  rinsed.  For  a 
dark  blue,  boil  four  ounces  of  copperas  in  two  gallons 
of  water.  Dip  the  articles  in  this,  and  then  in  a  strong 
decoction  of  logwood,  boiled  and  strained.  Then 
wash  them  thoroughly  in  soapsuds. 

Green  Dye.     First   color  the   article  yellow;   and 


ON    WHITENING,    CLEANSING,    AND    DYEING.        301 

then,  if  it  be  silk  or  woollen,  dip  it  in  c  blue  composi 
tion.'  Instead  of  ironing,  rub  it  with  flannel,  while 
drying. 

Salmon  Color  is  made  by  boiling  arnotto  or  anotta  in 
soapsuds. 

Buff  Color  is  made  by  putting  one  teacupful  of  pot 
ash,  tied  in  a  bag,  in  two  gallons  of  hot  (not  boiling) 
water,  and  adding  an  ounce  of  arnotto,  also  in  a  bag, 
keeping  it  in  for  half  an  hour.  First,  wet  the  article 
in  strong  potash-water.  Dry  and  then  rinse  in  soap- 
suds. Birch  bark  and  alum  also  make  a  buff.  Black 
alder,  set  with  ley,  makes  an  orange  color. 

Dove  and  Slate  Colors,  of  all  shades,  are  made  by 
boiling,  in  an  iron  vessel,  a  teacupful  of  black  tea,  with 
a  teaspoonful  of  copperas.  Dilute  this,  till  you  get  the 
shade  wanted.  Purple  sugar-paper,  boiled,  and  set 
with  alum,  makes  a  similar  color. 

Brown  Dye.  Boil  half  a  pound  of  camwood  (in  a 
bag)  in  two  gallons  of  water,  for  fifteen  minutes.  Wet 
the  articles,  and  boil  them  for  a  few  minutes  in  the  dye. 
White-walnut  bark,  the  bark  of  sour  sumach,  or  of 
white  maple,  set  with  alum,  make  a  brown  color. 

Black  Dye.  Let  one  pound  of  chopped  logwood 
remain  all  night  in  one  gallon  of  vinegar.  Then  boil 
them,  and  put  in  a  piece  of  copperas,  as  large  as  a 
hen's  egg.  Wet  the  articles  in  warm  water,  and  put 
them  in  the  dye,  boiling  and  stirring  them  for  fifteen 
minutes.  Dry  them,  then  wet  them  in  warm  water, 
and  dip  them  again.  Repeat  the  process,  till  the  arti- 
cles are  black  enough.  Wash  them  in  suds,  and  rinse 
them  till  the  water  comes  off  clear.  Iron  nails,  boiled 
in  vinegar,  make  a  black  dye,  which  is  good  for  restor 
ing  rusty  black  silks. 

Olive  Color.  Boil  fustic  and  yellow-oak  bark  to- 
gether. The  more  fustic,  the  brighter  the  olive ;  the 
more  oak  bark,  the  darker  the  shade.  Set  the  light 
shade  with  a  few  drops  of  oil  of  vitriol,  and  the  dark 
shade  with  copperas. 

26  D.  E. 


302  ON   THE    CARE    OF    PARLORS. 

CHAPTER   XXIX 

ON    THE    CARE    OF    PARLORS. 

IN  selecting  the  furniture  of  parlors,  some  reference 
should  be  had  to  correspondence  of  shades  and  colors. 
Curtains  should  be  darker  than  the  walls ;  and,  if  the 
walls  and  carpets  be  light,  the  chairs  should  be  dark, 
and  vice,  versa.  Pictures  always  look  best  on  light 
walls. 

In  selecting  carpets,  for  rooms  much  used,  it  is  poor 
economy  to  buy  cheap  ones.  Ingrain  carpets,  of  close 
texture,  and  the  three-ply  carpets,  are  best  for  common 
use.  Brussels  carpets  do  not  wear  so  long  as  the  three- 
ply  ones,  because  they  cannot  be  turned.  Wilton 
carpets  wear  badly,  and  Venetians  are  good  only  for 
halls  and  stairs. 

In  selecting  colors,  avoid  those  in  which  there  are 
any  black  threads;  as  they  are  always  rotten.  The 
most  tasteful  carpets,  are  those,  which  are  made  of  va- 
rious shades  of  the  same  color,  or  of  all  shades  of  only 
two  colors ;  such  as  brown  and  yellow,  or  blue  and 
buff,  or  salmon  and  green,  or  all  shades  of  green,  or  of 
brown.  All  very  dark  shades  should  be  brown  or 
green,  but  not  black. 

In  laying  down  carpets,  it  is  a  bad  practice  to  put 
straw  under  them,  as  this  makes  them  wear  out  in  spots. 
Straw  matting,  laid  under  carpets,  makes  them  last 
much  longer,  as  it  is  smooth  and  even,  and  the  dust 
sifts  through  it.  In  buying  carpets,  always  get  a  few 
yards  over,  to  allow  for  waste  in  matching  figures. 

In  cutting  carpets,  make  them  three  or  four  inches 
shorter  than  the  room,  to  allow  for  stretching.  Begin 
to  cut  in  the  middle  of  a  figure,  and  it  will  usually 
match  better.  Many  carpets  match  in  two  different 
ways,  and  care  must  be  taken  to  get  the  right  one. 
Sew  a  caroet  on  the  wrong  side,  with  double  waxed 


ON    THE    CARE    OP    PARLORS.  303 

thread,  and  with  the  ball-stitch.  This  is  done  by  taking 
a  stitch  on  the  breadth  next  you,  pointing  the  needle 
towards  you ;  and  then  taking  a  stitch  on  the  other 
breadth,  pointing  the  needle  from  you.  Draw  the 
thread  tightly,  but  not  so  as  to  pucker.  In  fitting  a 
breadth  to  the  hearth,  cut  slits  in  the  right  place,  and 
turn  the  piece  under.  Bind  the  whole  of  the  carpet, 
with  carpet-binding,  nail  it  with  tacks,  having  bits  of 
leather  under  the  heads.  To  stretch  the  carpet,  use  a 
carpet-fork,  which  is  a  long  stick,  ending  with  notched 
tin,  like  saw-teeth.  This  is  put  in  the  edge  of  the 
carpet,  and  pushed  by  one  person,  while  the  nail  is 
driven  by  another.  Cover  blocks,  or  bricks,  with  car- 
peting, like  that  of  the  room,  and  put  them  behind 
tables,  doors,  sofas,  &c.,  to  preserve  the  walls  from 
injury,  by  knocking,  or  by  the  dusting-cloth. 

Cheap  footstools,  made  of  a  square  plank,  covered 
with  tow-cloth,  stuffed,  and  then  covered  with  carpet- 
ing, with  worsted  handles,  look  very  well.  Sweep 
carpets  as  seldom  as  possible,  as  it  wears  them  out. 
To  shake  them  often,  is  good  economy.  In  cleaning 
carpets,  use  damp  tea  leaves,  or  wet  Indian  meal, 
throwing  it  about,  and  rubbing  it  over  with  the  broom. 
The  latter,  is  very  good  for  cleansing  carpets  made  dingy 
by  coal-dust.  In  brushing  carpets  in  ordinary  use, 
it  will  be  found  very  convenient  to  use  a  large  flat  dust- 
pan, with  a  perpendicular  handle  a  yard  high,  put  on 
so  that  the  pan  will  stand  alone.  This  can  be  carried 
about,  and  used  without  stooping,  brushing  dust  into  it 
with  a  common  broom.  The  pan  must  be  very  large, 
or  it  will  be  upset. 

When  carpets  are  taken  up,  they  should  be  hung  on 
a  line,  or  laid  on  long  grass,  and  whipped,  first  on  one 
side,  and  then  on  the  other,  with  pliant  whips.  If  laid 
aside,  they  should  be  sewed  up  tight,  in  linen,  having 
snuff  or  tobacco  put  along  all  the  crevices  where  moths 
could  enter.  Shaking  pepper,  from  a  pepper-box, 
round  the  edge  of  the  floor,  under  a  carpet,  prevent? 
the  access  of  moths. 


304  ON    THE    CARE    OF    PARLORS. 

Carpets  can  be  best  washed  on  the  floor,  thus :  First 
shake  them ;  and  then,  after  cleaning  the  floor,  stretch 
and  nail  them  upon  it.  Then  scrub  them  in  cold  soap- 
suds, having  half  a  teacupful  of  ox-gall  to  a  bucket  of 
water.  Then  wash  off  the  suds,  with  a  cloth,  in  fail 
water.  Set  open  the  doors  and  windows,  for  two  days 
or  more.  Imperial  Brussels,  Venetian,  ingrain,  and 
three-ply,  carpets,  can  be  washed  thus ;  but  Wilton,  and 
other  plush-carpets,  cannot.  Before  washing  them,  take 
out  grease,  with  a  paste,  made  of  potter's  clay,  ox-gall, 
and  water. 

Straw  matting  is  best  for  chambers  and  Summer 
parlors.     The  checked,  of  two  colors,  is  not  so  good 
to  wear.     The  best,  is  the  cheapest  in  the  end.     When 
washed,  it  should  be  done  with  salt  water,  wiping  it 
dry;  but  frequent  washing  injures  it.     Bind  matting 
with  cotton  binding.     Sew  breadths  together  like  car 
peting.     In  joining  the  ends  of  pieces,  ravel  out  a 
part,  and  tie  the  threads  together,  turning  under  a  little 
of  each  piece,  and  then,  laying  the  ends  close,  nail 
them  down,  with  nails  having  kid  under  their  heads. 

In  hanging  pictures,  put  them  so  that  the  lower  part 
shall  be  opposite  the  eye.  Cleanse  the  glass  of  pictures 
with  whiting,  as  water  endangers  the  pictures.  Gilt 
frames  can  be  much  better  preserved  by  putting  on  a 
coat  of  copal  varnish,  which,  with  proper  brushes,  can 
be  bought  of  carriage  or  cabinet-makers.  When  dry, 
it  can  be  washed  with  fair  water.  Wash  the  brush  in 
spirits  of  turpentine. 

Curtains,  ottomans,  and  sofas  covered  with  worsted, 
can  be  cleansed,  by  wheat-bran,  rubbed  on  with  flan- 
nel. Dust  Venetian  blinds  with  feather  brushes.  Buy 
light-colored  ones,  as  the  green  are  going  out  of  fash- 
ion. Strips  of  linen  or  cotton,  on  rollers  and  pulleys, 
are  much  in  use,  to  shut  out  the  sun  from  curtains  and 
carpets.  Paper  curtains,  pasted  on  old  cotton,  are  good 
for  chambers.  Put  them  on  rollers,  having  cords  nailed 
to  them,  so  that  when  the  curtain  falls,  the  cord  will  be 
wound  up.  Then,  by  pulling  the  cord,  the  curtain 
will  be  rolled  up. 


ON    THE    CARE    OF    PARLORS. 


305 


Mahogany  furniture  should  be  made  in  the  Spring, 
and  stand  some  months  before  it  is  used,  or  it  will 
shrink  and  warp.  Varnished  furniture  should  be 
rubbed  only  with  silk,  except  occasionally,  when  a 
little  sweet-oil  should  be  rubbed  over,  and  wiped  off 
carefully.  For  unvarnished  furniture,  use  beeswax,  a 
little  softened  with  sweet-oil ;  rub  it  in  with  a  hard 
brush,  and  polish  with  woollen  and  silk  rags.  Some 
persons  rub  in  linseed-oil ;  others  mix  beeswax  with  a 
little  spirits  of  turpentine  and  rosin,  making  it  so  that 
it  can  be  put  on  with  a  sponge,  and  wiped  off  with  a 
soft  rag.  Others,  keep  in  a  bottle  the  following 
mixture ;  two  ounces  of  spirits  of  turpentine,  four 
tablespoonfuls  of  sweet-oil,  and  one  quart  of  milk. 
This  is  applied  with  a  sponge,  and  wiped  off  with  a 
linen  rag. 

Hearths  and  jambs,  of  brick,  look  best  painted  over 
with  blacklead,  mixed  with  soft-soap.  Wash  the  bricks 
which  are  nearest  the*'  fire  with  redding  and  milk,  using 
a  painter's  brush.  A  sheet  of  zinc,  covering  the  whole 
hearth,  is  cheap,  saves  work,  and  looks  very  well.  A 
tinman  can  fit  it  properly. 

Stone  hearths  should  be  rubbed  with  a  paste  of  pow 
dered  stone,  (to  be  procured  of  the  stonecutters,)  and 
then  brushed  with  a  stiff  brush.     Kitchen-hearths,  of 
stone,  are  improved  by  rubbing  in  lamp-oil. 

Stains  can  be  removed  from  marble,  by  oxalic  acid 
and  water,  or  oil  of  vitriol  and  water,  left  on  fifteen 
minutes,  and  then  rubbed  dry.  Gray  marble  is  im- 
proved by  linseed-oil.  Grease  can  be  taken  from  mar- 
ble, by  ox-gall  and  potter's  clay  wet  with  soapsuds,  (a 
gill  of  each.)  It  is  better  to  add,  also,  a  gill  of  spirits 
of  turpentine.  It  improves  the  looks  of  marble,  to 
cover  it  with  this  mixture,  leaving  it  two  days,  and  then 
rubbing  it  off. 

Unless  a  parlor  is  in  constant  use,  it  is  best  to  sweep 
it  only  once  a  week,  and  at  other  times  use  a  whisk- 
broom  and  dust-pan.  When  a  parlor  with  handsome 
furniture  is  to  be  swept,  cover  the  sofas,  centre  table, 

26*  D.   E. 


306  ON    THE    CARE    OF 

piano,  books,  and  mantelpiece,  with  old  cottons,  kept 
for  the  purpose.  Remove  the  rugs,  and  shake  them, 
and  clean  the  jambs,  hearth,  and  fire-furniture.  Then 
sweep  the  room,  moving  every  article.  Dust  the  fur- 
niture, with  a  dust-brush  and  a  piece  of  old  silk.  A 
painter's  brush  should  be  kept,  to  remove  dust  from 
ledges  and  crevices.  The  dust-cloths  should  be  often 
shaken  and  washed,  or  else  they  will  soil  the  walls  and 
furniture  when  they  are  used.  Dust  ornaments,  and 
fine  books,  with  feather  brushes,  kept  for  the  purpose. 


CHAPTER   XXX. 

ON   THE    CARE    OF    BREAKFAST    AND    DINING-ROOMS. 

AN  eating-room  should  have  in  it  a  large  closet,  with 
drawers  and  shelves,  in  which  sfifbuld  be  kept  all  the 
articles  used  at  meals.  This,  if  possible,  should  com- 
municate with  the  kitchen,  by  a  sliding  window,  or  by 
a  door,  and  have  in  it  a  window,  and  also  a  small  sink, 
made  Of  marble  or  lined  with  zinc,  which  will  be  a 
great  convenience  for  washing  nice  articles.  If  there 
be  a  dumb-waiter,  it  is  best  to  have  it  connected  with 
such  a  closet.  It  may  be  so  contrived,  that,  when  it  is 
down,  it  shall  form  part  of  the  closet  floor. 

A  table-rug,  or  crumb-cloth,  is  useful  to  save  carpets 
from  injury.  Bocking,  or  baize,  is  best.  Always  spread 
the  same  side  up,  or  the  carpet  will  be  soiled  by  the 
rug.  Table-mats  are  needful,  to  prevent  injury  to  the 
table  from  the  warm  dishes.  Teacup-mats,  or  small 
plates,  are  useful  to  save  the  table-cloths  from  dripping 
tea  or  coffee.  Butter-knives,  for  the  butter-plate,  and 
salt-spoons,  for  salt-dishes,  are  designed  to  prevent 
those  disgusting  marks  which  are  made,  when  persons 
use  their  own  knives,  to  take  salt  or  butter.  A  sugar- 
spoon  should  be  kept  in  or  by  the  sugar-dish,  for  the 
game  purpose.  Table-napkins,  of  diaper,  are  often  laid 


BREAKFAST    AND    DINING-ROOMS.  307 

by  each  person's  plate,;  for  use  during  the  meal,  to  save 
the  tablecloth  and  pocket-handkerchief.  To  preserve 
the  same  napkin  for  the  same  person,  each  member  of 
the  family  has  a  given  number,  and  the  napkins  are 
numbered  to  correspond,  or  else  are  slipped  into  ivory 
rings,  which  are  numbered.  A  stranger  has  a  clean  one, 
at  each  meal.  Tablecloths  should  be  well  starched,  and 
ironed  on  the  right  side,  and  always,  when  taken  off, 
folded  in  the  ironed  creases.  Doilies  are  colored  nap- 
kins, which,  when  fruit  is  offered,  should  always  be  fur- 
nished, to  prevent  a  person  from  staining  a  nice  handker- 
chief, or  permitting  the  fruit-juice  to  dry  on  the  fingers. 

Casters  and  salt-stands  should  be  put  in  order,  every 
morning,  when  washing  the  breakfast  things.  Always,  if 
possible,  provide  fine  and  dry  table-salt,  as  many  persons 
are  much  disgusted  with  that  which  is  dark,  damp,  and 
coarse.  Be  careful  to  keep  salad-oil  closely  corked,  or 
it  will  grow  rancid.  Never  leave  the  salt-spoons  in  the 
salt,  nor  the  mustard-spoon  in  the  mustard,  as  they  are 
thereby  injured.  Wipe  them,  immediately  after  the 
meal. 

For  table-furniture,  French  china  is  deemed  the 
nicest,  but  it  is  liable  to  the  objection  of  having  plates, 
so  made,  that  salt,  butter,  and  similar  articles,  will  not 
lodge  on  the  edge,  but  slip  into  the  centre.  Select 
knives  and  forks,  which  have  weights  in  the  handles, 
so  that,  when  laid  down,  they  will  not  touch  the  table. 
Those  with  rivetted  handles  last  longer  than  any  others. 
Horn  handles  (except  buckhorn)  are  very  poor.  The 
best  are  cheapest  in  the  end.  Knives  should  be  sharp- 
ened once  a  month,  unless  they  are  kept  sharp  by  the 
mode  of  scouring. 

On  Setting  Talks. 

Neat  housekeepers  observe  the  manner  in  which  a 
table  is  set  more  than  any  thing  else ;  and  to  a  person 
of  good  taste,  few  things  are  more  annoying,  than  to  see 
the  table  placed  askew ;  the  tablecloth  soiled,  rumpled, 
and  put  on  awry ;  the  plates,  knives,  and  dishes  thrown 


308  ON    THE    CARE    OP 

about,  without  any  order ;  the  pitchers  soiled  on  tho 
outside,  and  sometimes  within ;  the  tumblers  dim  ;  the 
caster  out  of  order;  the  butter  pitched  on  the  plate, 
without  any  symmetry  ;  the  salt  coarse,  damp,  and  dark  ; 
the  bread  cut  in  a  mixture  of  junks  and  slices ;  the 
dishes  of  food  set  on  at  random,  and  without  mats  ;  tne 
knives  dark  or  rusty,  and  their  handles  greasy ;  the 
tea-furniture  all  out  of  order,  and  every  thing  in  similar 
style.  And  yet,  many  of  these  negligences  will  be  met 
with,  at  the  tables  of  persons  who  call  themselves  well 
bred,  and  who  have  wealth  enough  to  make  much  out- 
side show.  One  reason  for  this,  is,  the  great  difficulty 
of  finding  domestics,  who  will  attend  to  these  things  in 
a  proper  manner,  and  who,  after  they  have  been  re- 
peatedly instructed,  will  not  neglect  nor  forget  what 
has  been  said  to  them.  The  writer  has  known  cases, 
where  much  has  been  gained  by  placing  the  following 
rules  in  plain  sight,  in  the  place  where  the  articles  for 
setting  tables  are  kept. 

Rules  for  setting  a  Table. 

1 .  Lay  the  rug  square  with  the  room,  and  also  smooth 
and  even  ;  then  set  the  table  also  square  with  the  room, 
arid  see  that  the  legs  are  in  the  right  position  to  support 
the  leaves. 

2.  Lay  the   tablecloth  square  with  the  table,  right 
side  up,  smooth,  and  even. 

3.  Put  on  the  teatray  (for  breakfast  or  tea)  square 
with  the  table ;  set  the  cups  and  saucers  at  the  front 
side  of  the  teatray,  and  the  sugar,  slop-bowls,  and  cream- 
cup,  at  the  back  side.     Lay  the  sugar-spoon  or  tongs 
on  the  sugar-bowl. 

4.  Lay  the  plates  around  the  table,  at  equal  intervals, 
and  the  knives  and  forks  at  regular  distances,  each  in 
the  same  particular  manner,  with  a  cup-mat,  or  cup- 
plate,  to  each,  and  a  napkin  at  the  right  side  of  each 
person. 

5.  If  meat  be  used,  set  the  caster  and  salt-cellars  in 
the  centre  of  the  table ;  then  lay  mats  for  the  dishes. 


BREAKFAST    AND    DINING-ROOMS.  309 

\nd  place  the  carving-knife  and  fork  and  steel  by  the 
master  of  the  house.  Set  the  butter  on  two  plates, 
one  on  either  side,  with  a  butter-knife  by  each. 

6.  Set  the  tea  or  coffee-pot  on  a  mat,  at  the  right 
hand  of  the  teatray,  (if  there  be  not  room  upon  it.) 
Then  place  the  chairs  around  the  table,  and  call  the 
family. 

For  Dinner. 

1.  Place  the  rug,  table,  tablecloth,  plates,  knives  and 
forks,  and  napkins,  as  before  directed,  with  a  tumbler 
by  each  plate.     In  cold  weather,  set  the  plates  where 
they  will  be  warmed. 

2.  Put  the  caster  in  the  centre,  and  the  salt-stands 
at  two  oblique  corners,  of  the  table,  the  latter  between 
two  large  spoons  crossed.     If  more  spoons  be  needed, 
lay  them  on  each  side  of  the  caster,  crossed.     Set  the 
pitcher   on   a   mat,   either  at   a   side-table,   or,  when 
there  is  no  waiter,  on  the  dining-table.     Water  looks 
best  in  glass  decanters. 

3.  Set  the  bread  on  the  table,  when  there  is  no 
waiter.     Some  take  a  fork,  and  lay  a  piece  on  the  nap- 
kin or  tumbler  by  each  plate.     Others  keep  it  in  a 
tray,  covered  with  a  white  napkin  to  keep  off  flies. 
Bread  for  dinner  is  often  cut  in  small  junks,  and  not  in 
slices. 

4.  Set  the  principal  dish  before  the  master  of  the 
house,  and  the  other  dishes  in  a  regular  manner.     Put 
the  carving-knife,  fork,  and  steel,  by  the  principal  dish, 
and  also  a  knife-rest,  if  one  be  used. 

5.  Put  a  small  knife  and  fork  by  the  pickles,  and 
also  by  any  other  dishes  which  need  them.     Then  place 
the  chairs. 

On   Waiting  at  Table. 

A  domestic,  who  waits  on  the  table,  should  be  required 
to  keep  the  hair  and  hands  in  neat  order,  and  have  on 
a  clean  apron.  A  small  tea-tray  should  be  used  to  carry 
cups  and  plates.  The  waiter  should  announce  the  meal 
('when  ready)  to  the  mistress  of  the  family,  then  stand 


310  ON    THE    CARE    OF 

by  the  eating-room  door,  till  all  are  in,  then  close  the 
door,  and  step  to  the  left  side  of  the  lady  of  the  house. 
When  all  are  seated,  the  waiter  should  remove  the 
covers,  taking  care  first  to  invert  them,  so  as  not  to 
drop  the  steam  on  the  tablecloth  or  guests.  In  pre- 
senting articles,  go  to  the  left  side  of  the  person.  In 
pouring  water  never  entirely  fill  the  tumbler.  The 
waiter  should  notice  when  bread  or  water  is  wanting, 
and  hand  it  without  being  called.  When  plates  are 
changed,  be  careful  not  to  drop  knives  or  forks.  Brush 
off  crumbs,  with  a  crumb-brush,  into  a  small  waiter. 
When  there  is  no  domestic-  waiter,  a  light  table 
should  be  set  at  the  left  side  of  the  mistress  of  the 
house,  on  which  the  bread,  water,  and  other  articles 
not  in  immediate  use,  can  be  placed. 

On  Carving  and  Helping  at  Table 

It  is  considered  an  accomplishment  for  a  lady  to 
know  how  to  carve  well,  at  her  own  table.  It  is  not 
proper  to  stand  in  carving.  The  carving-knife  should 
be  sharp  and  thin.  To  carve  fowls,  (which  should 
always  be  laid  with  the  breast  uppermost,)  place  the 
fork  in  the  breast,  and  take  off  the  wings  and  legs 
without  turning  the  fowl;  then  cut  out  the  merry 
thought,  cut  slices  from  the  breast,  take  out  the  collar 
bone,  cut  off  the  side  pieces,  and  then  cut  the  carcass 
in  two.  Divide  the  joints  in  the  leg  of  a  turkey. 

In  helping  the  guests,  when  no  choice  is  expressed, 
give  a  piece  of  both  the  white  and  dark  meat,  with 
some  of  the  stuffing.  Inquire  whether  the  guest  will 
be  helped  to  each  kind  of  vegetable,  and  put  the  gravy 
on  the  plate,  and  not  on  any  article  of  food. 

In  carving  a  sirloin,  cut  thin  slices  from  the  side 
next  to  you,  (it  must  be  put  on  the  dish  with  the  tender- 
loin underneath  ;)  then  turn  it,  and  cut  from  the  tender- 
loin. Help  the  guest  to  both  kinds. 

In  carving  a  leg  of  mutton,  or  a  ham,  begin  by  cutting 
across  the  middle,  to  the  bone.  Cut  a  tongue  across, 
and  not  lengthwise,  and  help  from  the  middle  part. 


CHAMBERS  AND  BEDROOMS.  31 J 

Carve  a  forequarter  of  lamb,  by  separating  the 
shoulder  from  the  ribs,  and  then  dividing  the  ribs. 
To  carve  a  loin  of  veal,  begin  at  the  smaller  end  and 
separate  the  ribs.  Help  each  one  to  a  piece  of  the  kidney 
and  its  fat.  Carve  pork  and  mutton  in  the  same  way. 

To  carve  a  fillet  of  veal,  begin  at  the  top,  and  help 
to  the  stuffing  with  each  slice.  In  a  breast  of  veal, 
separate  the  breast  and  brisket,  and  then  cut  them  up, 
asking  which  part  is  preferred.  In  carving  a  pig,  it  is 
customary  to  divide  it,  and  take  off  the  head,  before  it 
comes  to  the  table ;  as,  to  many  persons,  the  head  is 
very  revolting.  Cut  oft'  the  limbs,  and  divide  the  ribs. 
In  carving  venison,  make  a  deep  incision  down  to  the 
bone,  to  let  out  the  juices ;  then  turn  the  broad  end  of 
the  haunch  towards  you,  cutting  deep,  in  thin  slices. 
For  a  saddle  of  venison,  cut  from  the  tail  towards  the 
other  end,  on  each  side,  in  thin  slices.  Warm  plates 
are  very  necessary,  with  venison  and  mutton,  and  in 
Winter,  are  desirable  for  all  meats. 


CHAPTER   XXXI 

ON  THE  CARE  OP  CHAMBERS  AND  BEDROOMS. 

EVERY  mistress  of  a  family  should  see,  not  only  that 
all  sleeping-rooms  in  her  house  can  be  well  ventilated  at 
night,  but  that  they  actually  are  so.  Where  there  is  no 
open  fireplace  to  admit  the  pure  air  from  the  exterior, 
a  door  should  be  left  open  into  an  entry,  or  room  where 
fresh  air  is  admitted ;  or  else  a  small  opening  should 
be  made  in  a  window,  taking  care  not  to  allow  a 
draught  of  air  to  cross  the  bed.  The  debility  of 
childhood,  the  lassitude  of  domestics,  and  the  ill-health 
of  families,  are  often  caused  by  neglecting  to  provide  a 
supply  of  pure  air.  Straw  matting  is  best  for  a  cham- 
ber carpet,  and 'strips  of  woollen  carpeting  may  be  laid 


#12  ON  THE  CARE  OF 

by  the  side  of  the  bed.  Where  chambers  have  no 
closets,  a  wardrobe  is  indispensable.  This  is  a  move- 
able  closet,  with  doors,  divided,  by  a  perpendicular  par- 
tition, into  two  apartments.  In  one  division,  rows  of 
hooks  are  placed,  on  which  to  hang  dresses.  The 
other  division  is  fitted  up  with  shelves,  for  other  uses. 
Some  are  made  with  drawers  at  the  bottom  for  shoes, 
and  such  like  articles.  A  low  square  box,  set  on  casters, 
with  a  cushion  on  the  top,  and  a  drawer  on  one  side  to 
put  shoes  in,  is  a  great  convenience  in  dressing  the  feet. 
An  old  champaigne  basket,  fitted  up  with  a  cushion  on 
the  lid,  and  a  valance  fastened  to  it  to  cover  the  sides, 
can  be  used  for  the  same  purpose. 

A  comfortable  couch,  for  chambers  and  sitting-rooms, 
can  be  made  by  a  common  carpenter,  at  a  small  expense. 
Have  a  frame  made  (like  the  annexed  engraving,  Fig. 
38,)  of  common  stuff,  six  feet  long,  twenty-eight  inches 
wide,  and  twelve  inches  high.  It  must  be  made  thus 
low,  because  the  casters  and  cushions  will  raise  it  several 
inches.  Have  the  sloping  side-piece,  cr,  and  head-piece, 
b,  sawed  out  of  a  board ;  nail  brown  linen  on  them,  and 
stuff  them  with  soft  hay  or  hair.  Let  these  be  screwed 
to  the  frame,  and  covered  with  furniture  patch.  Then 
let  slats  be  nailed  across  the  bottom,  as  at  c,  c,  four 
inches  apart.  This  will  cost  two  or  three  dollars. 
Then  make  a  thick  cushion,  of  hay  or  straw,  with  side 
strips,  like  a  mattress,  and  lay  this  for  the  under-cushion. 
To  put  over  this,  make  a  thinner  cushion,  of  hair,  cover 
it  with  furniture-calico,  and  fasten  to  it  a  valance  reach- 
ing to  the  floor.  Then  make  two  square  pillows,  and 
cover  them  with  calico,  like  the  rest.  Both  the  cush- 
ions should  be  stitched  through  like  mattresses. 


p 


CHAMBERS  AND  BEDROOMS.  313 

The  writer  has  seen  a  couch  of  this  kind,  in  a  com 
mon  parlor,  which  cost  less  than  eight  dollars,  was 
much  admired,   and  was  a  constant  comfort  to   the 
feeble  mother,  as  well  as  many  other  members  of  the 
family. 

Another  convenience,  for  a  room  where  sewing  is 
done  in  Summer,  is  a  fancy-jar,  set  in  one  corner,  to 
receive  clippings,  and  any  other  rubbish.  It  can  be 
covered  with  prints,  or  paintings,  and  varnished ;  and 
then  looks  very  prettily. 

The  trunks  in  a  chamber  can  be  improved  in  looks 
and  comfort,  by  making  cushions  of  the  same  size  and 
shape,  stuffed  with  hay  and  covered  with  chintz,  with 
a  frill  reaching  nearly  to  the  floor. 

Every  bedchamber  should  have  a  washstand,  bowl, 
pitcher,  and  tumbler,  with  a  washbucket  under  the 
stand,  to  receive  slops.  A  light  screen,,  made  like  a 
clothes-frame,  and  covered  with  paper  or  chintz,  should 
be  furnished  for  bedrooms  occupied  by  two  persons, 
so  that  ablutions  can  be  performed  in  privacy.  It  can 
be  ornamented,  so  as  to  look  well  anywhere.  A  little 
frame,  or  towel-horse,  by  the  washstand,  on  which  to 
dry  towels,  is  a  convenience.  A  washstand  should  be 
furnished  with  a  sponge  or  washcloth,  and  a  small 
towel,  for  wiping  the  basin  after  using  it.  This  should 
be  hung  on  the  washstand  or  towel-horse,  for  constant 
use.  A  soap-dish,  and  a  dish  for  toothbrushes,  are  neat 
and  convenient,  and  each  person  should  be  furnished 
with  two  towels  ;  one  for  the  feet,  and  one  for  other 
purposes. 

It  is  in  good  taste  to  have  the  curtains,  bedquilt,  val- 
ance, and  window-curtains,  of  similar  materials.  In 
making  featherbeds,  side-pieces  should  be  put  in,  like 
those  of  mattresses,  and  the  bed  should  be  well  filled, 
so  thai  a  person  will  not  be  buried  in  a  hollow,  which  is 
not  healthful,  save  in  extremely  cold  weather.  Feather- 
beds  should  never  be  used,  except  in  cold  weather.  At 
other  times,  a  thin  mattress  of  hair,  cotton  and  moss,  or 
straw,  should  be  put  over  them.  A  simple  strip  of 
27  D.  E. 


314  ON   THE    CARE    OF 

broad  straw  matting,  spread  over  a  featherbed,  answers 
the  same  purpose.  Nothing  is  more  debilitating,  than, 
in  warm  weather,  to  sleep  with  a  featherbed  pressing 
round  the  greater  part  of  the  body.  Pillows  stuffed 
with  papers  an  inch  square,  are  good  for  Summer,  es- 
pecially for  young  children,  whose  heads  should  be  kept 
cool.  The  cheapest  and  best  covering  of  a  bed,  for 
Winter,  is  a  cotton  comforter,  made  to  contain  three  or 
four  pounds  of  cotton,  laid  in  batts  or  sheets,  between 
covers  tacked  together  at  regular  intervals.  They 
should  be  three  yards  square,  and  less  cotton  should  be 
put  at  the  sides  that  are  tucked  in.  It  is  better  to  have 
two  thin  comforters,  to  each  bed,  than  one  thick  one ; 
as  then  the  covering  can  be  regulated  according  to 
the  weather. 

Few  domestics  will  make  a  bed  properly,  without 
much  attention  from  the  mistress  of  the  family.  The 
following  directions  should  be  given  to  those  who  do 
this  work. 

Open  the  windows,  and  lay  off  the  bed-covering,  on 
two  chairs,  at  the  foot  of  the  bed.  After  the  bed  is 
well  aired,  shake  the  feathers,  from  each  corner  to  the 
middle ;  then  take  up  the  middle,  anc  shake  it  well, 
and  turn  the  bed  over.  Then  push  the  feathers  in 
place,  making  the  head  higher  than  the  foot,  and  the 
sides  even,  and  as  high  as  the  middle  part.  Then  put 
on  the  bolster  and  the  under  sheet,  so  that  the  wrong 
side  of  the  sheet  shall  go  next  the  bed,  and  the  marking 
come  at  the  head,  tucking  in  all  around.  Then  put 
on  the  pillows,  even,  so  that  the  open  ends  shall  come 
to  the  sides  of  the  bed,  and  then  spread  on  the  upper 
sheet,  so  that  the  wrong  side  shall  be  next  the  blankets, 
and  the  marked  end  at  the  head.  This  arrangement 
of  sheets  is  to  prevent  the  part  where  the  feet  lie  from 
being  reversed,  so  as  to  come  to  the  face,  and  also  to 
prevent  the  parts  soiled  by  the  body  from  coming  to 
the  bedtick  and  blankets.  Then  put  on  the  other 
covering,  except  the  outer  one,  tucking  in  all  around, 
and  then  turn  over  the  upper  sheet,  at  the  head,  so  as 


CHAMBERS  AND  BEDROOMS.  315 

to  show  a  part  of  the  pillows.  When  the  pillow-cases 
are  clean  and  smooth,  they  look  best  outside  of  the 
cover,  but  not  otherwise.  Then  draw  the  hand  along 
the  side  of  the  pillows,  to  make  an  even  indentation, 
and  then  smooth  and  shape  the  whole  outside.  A  nice 
housekeeper  always  notices  the  manner  in  which  a  bed 
is  made ;  and  in  some  parts  of  the  Country,  it  is  ra^ 
to  see  this  work  properly  performed. 

The  writer  would  here  urge  every  mistress  of  ? 
family,  who  keeps  more  than  one  domestic,  to  provide 
them  with  single  beds,  that  they  may  not  be  obliged  to 
sleep  with  all  the  changing  domestics,  who  come  and 
go  so  often.  Where  the  room  is  too  small  for  two 
beds,  a  narrow  truckle-bed  under  another,  will  answer. 
Domestics  should  be  furnished  with  washing  conve- 
niences in  their  chambers,  and  be  encouraged  to  keep 
their  persons  and  rooms  neat  and  in  order. 

On  Packing  and  Storing  Articles. 

Fold  a  gentleman's  coat,  thus: — Lay  it, on  a  table 
or  bed,  the  inside  downward,  and  unroll  the  collar. 
Double  each  sleeve  once,  making  the  crease  at  the 
elbow,  and  laying  them  so  as  to  make  the  fewest 
wrinkles,  and  parallel  with  the  skirts.  Turn  the  fronts 
over  the  back  and  sleeves,  and  then  turn  up  the  skirts, 
making  all  as  smooth  as  possible. 

Fold  a  shirt,  thus : — One  that  has  a  bosom-piece  in 
serted,  lay  on  a  bed,  bosom  downward.  Fold  each 
sleeve  twice,  and  lay  it  parallel  with  the  sides  of  the 
shirt.  Turn  the  two  sides,  with  the  sleeves,  over  the 
middle  part,  and  then  turn  up  the  bottom,  with  two 
folds.  This  makes  the  collar  and  bosom  lie,  unpressed, 
on  the  outside. 

Fold  a  frock  thus  : — Lay  its  front  downward,  so  as  to 
make  the  first  creases  in  folding  come  in  the  side  breadths. 
To  do  this,  find  the  middle  of  the  side  breadths  by  first  put 
ting  the  middle  of  the  front  and  back  breadths  together. 
Next,  fold  over  the  side  creases  so  as  just  to  meet  the  slit 
behind.  Then  fold  the  skirt  again,  so  as  to  make  the  backs 


316  ON    THE    CARE    OF    THE 

lie  together  within  and  the  fronts  without.     Then  arrange 
the  waist  and  sleeves,  and  fold  the  skirt  around  them. 

In  packing  trunks,  for  travelling,  put  all  heavy 
articles  at  the  bottom,  covered  with  paper,  which 
should  not  be  printed,  as  the  ink  rubs  oft.  Put  coats 
and  pantaloons  into  linen  cases,  made  for  the  purpose, 
and  furnished  with  strings.  Fill  all  crevices  with  small 
articles ;  as,  if  a  trunk  is  not  full,  nor  tightly  packed, 
its  contents  will  be  shaken  about,  and  get  injured.  A 
thin  box,  the  exact  size  of  the  trunk,  with  a  lid,  and  cov- 
ered with  brown  linen,  is  a  great  convenience,  to  set  in- 
side,on  the  top  of  the  trunk,  to  contain  light  articles  which 
would  be  injured  by  tight  packing.  Have  straps,  with 
luckles,  fastened  to  the  inside,  near  the  bottom,  long 
enough  to  come  up  and  buckle  over  this  box.  By  this 
means,  when  a  trunk  is  not  quite  full,  this  box  can  be 
strapped  over  so  tight,  as  to  keep  the  articles  from 
rubbing.  Under-clothing  packs  closer,  by  being  rolled 
tightly,  instead  of  being  folded. 

Bonnet-boxes,  made  of  light  wood,  with  a  lock  and 
key,  are  better  than  the  paper  bandboxes  so  annoying 
to  travellers.  Carpet  bags  are  very  useful,  to  carry  the 
articles  to  be  used  on  a  journey.  The  best  ones  have 
sides  inserted,  iron  rims,  and  a  lock  and  key.  A  large 
silk  travelling-bag,  with  a  double  linen  lining,  in  which 
are  stitched  receptacles  for  toothbrush,  combs,  and  other 
small  articles,  is  a  very  convenient  article  for  use  when 
travelling. 

A  bonnet-cover,  made  of  some  thin  material,  like  a 
large  hood  with  a  cape,  is  useful  to  draw  over  the  bon- 
net and  neck,  to  keep  off  dust,  sun,  and  sparks  from  a 
steam  engine.  Green  veils  are  very  apt  to  stain  bon- 
nets, when  damp. 

In  packing  household  furniture,  for  moving,  have 
each  box  numbered,  and  then  have  a  book,  in  which, 
as  each  box  is  packed,  note  down  the  number  of  the 
box,  and  the  order  in  which  its  contents  are  packed,  as 
this  will  save  much  labor  and  perplexity  when  unpack- 
ing. In  packing  china  and  glass,  wrap  each  article, 


KITCHEN,    CELLAR,    AND    STOREROOM.  317 

separately,  in  paper,  and  put  soft  hay  or  straw  at  hot 
torn  and  all  around  each.     Put  the   heaviest  articles 
at  the  bottom  •  and  on  the  top  of  the  box,  write,  "  This 
side  up." 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

ON  THE  CARE  OF  THE  KITCHEN,  CELLAR,  AND  STOREROOM. 


IF  parents  wish  their  daughters  to  grow  up  with  good 
domestic  habits,  they  should  have,  as  one  means  of  secur-  ^/ 
ing  this  result,  a  neat  and  cheerful  kitchen.  A  kitchen 
should  always,  if  possible,  be  entirely  above  ground, 
and  well  lighted.  It  should  have  a  large  sink,  with  a 
drain  running  under  ground,  so  that  all  the  premises 
may  be  kept  sweet  and  clean.  If  flowers  and  shrubs 
be  cultivated,  around  the  doors  and  windows,  and 
the  yard  near  them  be  kept  well  turfed,  it  will  add 
very  much  to  their  agreeable  appearance.  The  walls 
should  often  be  cleaned  and  whitewashed,  to  promote 
a  neat  look  and  pure  air.  The  floor  of  a  kitchen 
should  be  painted,  or,  which  is  better,  covered  with  an 
oilcloth.  To  procure  a  kitchen  oilcloth  as  cheaply  as 
possible,  buy  cheap  tow  cloth,  and  fit  it  to  the  size  and 
shape  of  the  kitchen.  Then  tjave  it  stretched,  and 
nailed  to  the  south  side  of  the  barn,  and,  with  a  brush, 
cover  it  with  a  coat  of  thin  rye  paste.  When  this  is 
dry,  put  on  a  coat  of  yellow  paint,  and  let  it  dry  for  a 
fortnight.  It  is  safest  to  first  try  the  paint,  and  see  if  it 
dries  well,  as  some  paint  never  will  dry.  Then  put  on 
a  second  coat,  and  at  the  end  of  another  fortnight,  a 
third  coat.  Then  let  it  nang  two  months,  and  it  will 
last,  uninjured,  for  many  years.  The  longer  the  paint  is 
left  to  dry,  the  better.  If  varnished,  it  will  last  much  longer. 

A  sink  should  be  scalded   out  every  day,  and  occa- 
sionally with  hot  ley.     On  nails,  over  the  sink,  should 
be  hung  three  good  dish-cloths,  hemmed,  and  furnished 
with  loops;  one  for  dishes  not  greasy,   one  for  greasy 
27*  n.  p. 


318  ON  THE   CARE   OP   THE 

dishes,  and  one  for  washing  pots  and  kettles.  These 
should  be  put  in  the  wash  every  week.  The  lady  who  in- 
sists upon  this,  will  not  be  annoyed  by  having  her  dishes 
washed  with  dark,  musty,  and  greasy,  rags,  as  ;s  too 
frequently  the  case. 

Under  the  sink  should  be  kept  a  slop-pail ;  and,  on 
a  shelf  by  it,  a  soap-dish  and  two  water-pails.  A  large 
boiler,  of  warm  soft  water,  should  always  be  kept  over 
the  fire,  well  covered,  and  a  hearth-broom  and  bellows 
be  hung  near  the  fire.  A  clock  is  a  very  important 
article  in  the  kitchen,  in  order  to  secure  regularity  at 
meals. 

On  Washing  Dishes. 

No  item  of  domestic  labor  is  so  frequently  done  in  a 
negligent  manner,  by  domestics,  as  this.  A  full  supply 
of  conveniences,  will  do  much  toward  a  remedy  of  this 
evil.  A  swab,  made  of  strips  of  linen,  tied  to  a  stick, 
is  useful  to  wash  nice  dishes,  especially  small,  deep 
articles.  Two  or  three  towels,  and  three  dish-cloths, 
should  be  used.  Two  large  tin  tubs,  painted  on  the 
outside,  should  be  provided  ;  one  for  washing,  and  one 
for  rinsing ;  also,  a  large  old  waiter,  on  which  to  drain 
the  dishes.  A  soap-dish,  with  hard  soap,  and  a  fork, 
with  which  to  use  it,  a  slop-pail,  and  two  pails  for 
water,  should  also  be  furnished.  Then,  if  there  be 
danger  of  neglect,  the  following  rules  for  washing 
dishes,  legibly  written,  may  be  hung  up  by  the  sink, 
and  it  will  aid  in  promoting  the  desired  care  and  neat- 
ness. 

Rules  for  Washing  Dishes. 

1.  Scrape  the  dishes,  putting  away  any  food  which 
may  remain  on  them,  and  which  it  may  be  proper  to 
save  for  future  use.     Put  grease  into  the  grease-pot, 
and  whatever  else  may  be  on  the  plates,  into  the  slop- 
pail.     Save  tea-leaves,  for  sweeping.     Set  all  the  dishes, 
when  scraped,  in  regular  piles ;  the  smallest  at  the  top. 

2.  Put  the  nicest  articles  in  the  wash-dish,  and  wash 
them  in  hot  suds,  with  the  swab  or  nicest  dish-cloth. 
Wipe  all  metal  articles,  as  soon  as  they  are  washed. 


KITCHEN,    CELLAR,    AND    STOREROOM.  319 

Put  all  the  rest  into  the  rinsing-dish,  which  should  be 
filled  with  hot  water.  When  they  are  taken  out,  lay 
them  to  drain  on  the  waiter.  Then  rinse  the  dish- 
cloth, and  hang  it  up,  wipe  the  articles  washed,  and 
put  them  in  their  places. 

3.  Pour  in  more  hot  water,  wash  the  greasy  dishes 
with  the   dish-cloth  made  for  them ;  rinse  them,  and 
set  them  to  drain.     Wipe  them,  and  set  them  away. 
Wash  the   knives   and   forks,   being  careful  that   the 
handles  are  never  put  in  water ;  wipe  them,  and  then 
lay  them  in  a  knife-dish,  to  be  scoured. 

4.  Take  a  fresh  supply  of  clean  suds,  in  which,  wash 
the  milk-pans,  buckets,  and  tins.     Then  rinse  and  hang 
up  this  dish-cloth,  and  take  the  other;  with  which, 
wash   the   roaster,  gridiron,   pots,  and  kettles.     Then 
wash  and  rinse  the  dish-cloth,  and  hang  it  up.     Empty 
the  slop-bucket  and  scald  it.     Dry  metal  teapots  and 
tins  before  the  fire.     Then  put  the  fireplace  in  order, 
and  sweep  and  dust  the  kitchen. 

Some  persons  keep  a  deep  and  narrow  vessel,  in 
which  to  wash  knives  with  a  swab,  so  that  a  careless 
domestic  cannot  lay  them  in  the  water  while  washing 
them.  This  article  can  be  carried  into  the  eating-room, 
to  receive  the  knives  and  forks,  when  they  are  taken 
from  the  table. 

Kitchen  Furniture. 

Crockery.  Brown  earthen  pans  are  said  to  be  best, 
for  milk  and  for  cooking.  Tin  pans  are  lighter,  and 
more  convenient,  but  are  too  cold  for  many  purposes. 
Tall  earthen  jars,  with  covers,  are  good  to  hold  butter, 
salt,  lard,  &,c.  Acids  should  never  be  put  into  the  red 
earthen  ware,  as  there  is  a  poisonous  ingredient  in  the 
glazing,  which  the  acid  takes  off.  Stone  ware  is  better, 
and  stronger,  and  safer,  every  way,  than  any  other  kind. 

Iron  Ware.  Many  kitchens  are  very  imperfectly 
supplied  with  the  requisite  conveniences  for  cooking. 
When  a  person  has  sufficient  means,  the  following 
articles  are  all  desirable.  A  nest  of  iron  pots,  of  dif- 


320  ON   THE    CARE    OF 

ferent  sizes,  (they  should  be  slowly  heated,  wht  i  ne*»  .) 
a  long  iron  fork,  to  take  out  articles  from  boiling  water ; 
an  iron  hook,  with  a  handle,  to  lift  pots  from  the  crane  ; 
a  large  and  small  gridiron,  with  grooved  bars,  and  a 
trench  to  catch  the  grease ;  a  Dutch  oven,  called,  also, 
a  bakepan  ;  two  skillets,  of  different  sizes,  and  a  spider, 
or  flat  skillet,  for  frying;  a  griddle,  a  waffle-iron,  tin 
and  iron  bake  and  bread-pans ;  two  ladles,  of  different 
sizes ;  a  skimmer  ;  iron  skewers ;  a  toasting-iron  ;  two 
teakettles,  one  small  and  one  large  one  ;  two  brass 
kettles,  of  different  sizes,  for  soap-boiling,  &c.  Iron 
kettles,  lined  with  porcelain,  are  better  for  preserves. 
The  German  are  the  best.  Too  hot  a  fire  will  crack 
them,  but  with  care  in  this  respect,  they  will  last  for 
many  years. 

Portable  furnaces,  of  iron  or  clay,  are  very  useful,  in 
Summer,  in  washing,  ironing,  and  stewing,  or  making 
preserves.  If  used  in  the  house,  a  strong  draught  must 
be  made,  to  prevent  the  deleterious  effects  of  the  char- 
coal. A  box  and  mill,  for  spice,  pepper,  and  coffee,  are 
needful  to  those  who  use  these  articles.  Strong  knives 
and  forks,  a  sharp  carving-knife,  an  iron  cleaver  and 
board,  a  fine  saw,  steelyards,  chopping-tray  and  knife, 
an  apple-parer,  steel  for  sharpening  knives,  sugar-nip- 
pers, a  dozen  iron  spoons,  also  a  large  iron  one  with  a 
long  handle,  six  or  eight  flatirons,  one  of  them  very 
small,  two  iron-stands,  a  ruffle-iron,  a  crimping-iron,  are 
also  desirable. 

Tin  Ware.  Bread-pans,  large  and  small  pattypans, 
cake-pans,  with  a  centre  tube  to  insure  their  baking 
well,  pie-dishes,  (of  block-tin,)  a  covered  butter-kettle, 
covered  kettles  to  hold  berries,  two  sauce-pans,  a  large 
oil-can,  (with  a  cock,)  a  lamp-filler,  a  lantern,  broad- 
bottomed  candlesticks  for  the  kitchen,  a  candle-box,  a 
funnel  or  tunnel,  a  reflector,  for  baking  warm  cakes, 
an  oven  or  tin-kitchen,  an  apple-corer,  an  apple-roaster, 
an  egg-boiler,  two  sugar-scoops,  and  flour  and  meal- 
scoop,  a  set  of  mugs,  three  dippers,  a  pint,  quart,  and 
gallon  measure,  a  set  of  scales  and  weights,  three  or 
four  pails,  painted  on  the  outside,  a  slop-bucket,  with  a 


KITCHEN;    CELLAR,    AND    STOREROOM.  321 

tight  cover,  painted  on  the  outside,  a  milk-strainer,  a 
gravy-strainer,  a  colander,  a  dredging-box,  a  pepper- 
box, a  large  and  small  grater,  a  box,  in  which  to  keep 
cheese,  also  a  large  one  for  cake,  and  a  still  larger  one 
for  bread,  with  tight  covers.  Bread,  cake,  and  cheese, 
shut  up  in  this  way,  will  not  grow  dry  as  in  the  open  air. 

Wooden  Ware.  A  nest  of  tubs,  a  set  of  pails  and 
bowls,  a  large  and  small  sieve,  a  beetle  for  mashing  po- 
tatoes, a  spad  or  stick  for  stirring  butter  and  sugar,  a 
bread-board,  for  moulding  bread  and  making  piecrust, 
a  coffee-stick,  a  clothes-stick,  a  mush-stick,  a  meat- 
beetle  to  pound  tough  meat,  an  egg-beater,  a  ladle  for 
working  butter,  a  bread-trough,  (for  a  large  family,) 
flour-buckets,  with  lids  to  hold  sifted  flour  and  Indian 
meal,  salt-boxes,  sugar-boxes,  starch  and  indigo-boxes, 
spice-boxes,  a  bosom-board,  a  skirt-board,  a  large 
ironing-board,  two  or  three  clothes-frames,  and  six 
dozen  clothes-pins. 

Basket  Ware.  Baskets,  of  all  sizes,  for  eggs,  fruit, 
marketing,  clothes,  &c. ;  also  chip-baskets.  When 
often  used,  they  should  be  washed  in  hot  suds. 

Other  Articles.  Every  kitchen  needs  a  box  con- 
taining balls  of  brown  thread  and  twine,  a  large  and 
small  darning  needle,  rolls  of  waste-paper  and  old 
linen  and  cotton,  and  a  supply  of  common  holders. 
There  should  also  be  another  box,  containing  a  ham- 
mer, carpet-tacks,  and  nails  of  all  sizes,  a  carpet-claw, 
screws  and  a  screw-driver,  pincers,  gimlets  of  several 
sizes,  a  bed-screw,  a  small  saw,  two  chisels,  (one  to  use 
for  button-holes  in  broadcloth,)  two  awls,  and  two  files. 

In  a  drawer,  or  cupboard,  should  be  placed,  cotton 
tablecloths,  for  kitchen  use,  nice  crash  towels,  for 
tumblers,  marked,  T  T;  coarser  towels,  for  dishes, 
marked,  T ;  six  large  roller-towels ;  a  dozen  hand- 
towels,  marked,  H  T ;  and  a  dozen  hemmed  dish- 
cloths, with  loops.  Also,  two  thick  linen  pudding  or 
dumpling-cloths,  a  gelly-bag,  made  of  white  flannel, 
to  strain  gelly,  a  starch-strainer,  and  a  bag  for  boiling 
clothes. 


322  ON    THE    CARE    OF    THE 

In  a  closet,  should  be  kept,  arranged  in  order,  the 
following  articles :  the  dust-pan,  dust-brush,  and  dust- 
ing-cloths, old  flannel  and  cotton  for  scouring  and 
rubbing,  sponges  for  washing  windows  and  looking- 
glasses,  a  long  brush  for  cobwebs,  and  another  for 
washing  the  outside  of  windows,  whisk-brooms,  com- 
mon brooms,  a  coat-broom  or  brush,  a  whitewash-brush, 
a  stove-brush,  shoebrushes  and  blacking,  articles  for 
cleaning  tin  and  silver,  leather  for  cleaning  metals, 
bottles  containing  stain-mixtures,  and  other  articles 
used  in  cleansing. 

ON   THE    CARE    OF    THE    CELLAR. 

A  cellar  should  often  be  whitewashed,  to  keep  it 
sweet.  It  should  have  a  drain,  to  keep  it  perfectly 
dry,  as  standing  water,  in  a  cellar,  is  a  sure  cause  of 
disease  in  a  family.  It  is  very  dangerous  to  leave  de- 
cayed vegetables  in  a  cellar.  Many  a  fever  has  been 
caused,  by  the  poisonous  miasm  thus  generated.  The 
following  articles  are  desirable  in  a  cellar :  a  safe,  or 
mOveable  closet,  with  sides  of  wire  or  perforated  tin, 
in  which  cold  meats,  cream,  and  other  articles  should 
be  kept ;  (if  ants  be  troublesome,  set  the  legs  in  tin 
cups  of  water ;)  a  refrigerator,  or  large  wooden  box,  on 
feet,  with  a  lining  of  tin  or  zinc,  and  a  space  between 
the  tin  and  wood  filled  with  powdered  charcoal,  having 
at  the  bottom,  a  place  for  ice,  a  drain  to  carry  off  the 
water,  and  also  moveable  shelves  and  partitions.  In 
this,  articles  are  kept  cool.  It  should  be  cleaned,  once 
a  week.  Filtering  jars,  to  purify  water,  should  also  be 
kept  in  the  cellar.  Fish  and  cabbages,  in  a  cellar,  are 
apt  to  scent  a  house,  and  give  a  bad  taste  to  other 
articles. 

STOREROOM. 

Every  house  needs  a  storeroom,  in  which  to  keep 
tea,  coffee,  sugar,  rice,  candles,  &c.  It  should  be  fur- 
nished with  jars,  having  labels,  a  large  spoon,  a  fork, 
sugar  and  flour-scoops,  a  towel,  and  a  dish-cloth. 


ON    KITCHEN,    CELLAR,    AND    STOREROOM.          323 


Modes  oj  destroying  Insects  and  Vermin. 

Bed-bugs  should  be  kept  away,  by  filling  every  chink 
In  the  bedstead  with  putty,  and,  if  it  be  old,  painting  it 
over.  Of  all  the  mixtures  for  killing  them,  corrosive 
sublimate  and  alcohol  is  the  surest.  This  is  a  strong 
poison. 

Cockroaches  may  be  destroyed,  by  pouring  boiling 
water  into  their  haunts,  or  setting  a  mixture  of 
arsenic,  mixed  with  Indian  meal  and  molasses,  where 
they  are  found.  Chloride  of  lime  and  sweetened 
water  will  also  poison  them. 

Fleas.  If  a  dog  be  infested  with  these  insects,  put 
him  in  a  tub  of  warm  soapsuds,  ancl  they  will  rise  to 
the  surface.  Take  them  off,  and  burn  them.  Strong 
perfumes,  about  the  person,  diminish  their  attacks. 
When  caught  between  the  fingers,  plunge  them  in 
water,  or  they  will  escape. 

Crickets.  Scalding,  and  sprinkling  Scotch  snuff 
about  the  haunts  of  these  insects,  are  remedies  for  the 
annoyance  caused  by  them. 

Flies  can  be  killed,  in  great  quantities,  by  placing 
about  the  house  vessels,  filled  with  sweetened  water 
and  cobalt.  Six  cents  worth  of  cobalt  is  enough  for  a 
pint  of  water.  It  is  very  poisonous. 

Musquitoes.  Close  nets  around  a  bed,  are  the  only 
sure  protection  at  night,  against  these  insects.  Spirit 
of  hartshorn  is  the  best  antidote  for  their  bite.  Salt 
and  water  is  good. 

Red  or  Black  Ants  may  be  driven  away,  by  scalding 
their  haunts,  and  putting  Scotch  snuff  wherever  they 
go  for  food.  Set  the  legs  of  closets  and  safes  in  pans 
of  water,  and  they  cannot  get  at  them. 

Moths.  Airing  clothes  does  not  destroy  moths,  bu** 
laying  them  in  a  hot  sun  does.  If  articles  be  tightly 
sewed  up  in  linen,  and  fine  tobacco  be  put  about 
them,  it  is  a  sure  protection.  This  should  be  done 
in  April. 

Rats  and  Mice.     A  good  cat  is  the  best  remedy  foj 


324  ON    SEWING,    CUTTING,    AND    MENDING. 

these  annoyances.  Equal  quantities  of  hemlock,  (or 
cicutcij)  and  old  cheese,  will  poison  them,  but  this 
renders  the  house  liable  to  the  inconvenience  of  a  bad 
smell.  This  evil,  however,  may  be  lessened,  by  placing 
a  dish,  containing  oil  of  vitriol  poured  on  saltpetre, 
where  the  smell  is  most  annoying.  Chloride  of  lime 
and  water  is  also  good. 


CHAPTER   XXXIII. 

.ntariJ  ftoaio'.-   r 

ON    SEWING,    CUTTING,    AND    MENDING. 

•;V!f-''iV     't<i      f" 

EVERY  young  girl  should  be  taught  to  do  the  follow- 
ing kinds  of  stitch,  with  propriety.  Over-stitch,  hem- 
ming, running,  felling,  stitching,  back-stitch  and  run, 
buttonhole-stitch,  chain-stitch,  whipping,  darning,  gath- 
ering, and  cross-stitch. 

In  doing  over-stitch,  the  edges  should  always  be  first 
fitted,  either  with  pins  or  basting,  to  prevent  puckering. 
In  turning  wide  hems,  a  paper  measure  should  be  used, 
to  make  them  even.  Tucks,  also,  should  be  regulated 
by  a  paper  measure.  A  fell  should  be  turned,  before 
the  edges  are  put  together,  and  the  seam  should  be 
over-sewed,  before  felling.  All  biased  or  goring  seams 
should  be  felled.  For  stitching,  draw  a  thread,  and 
take  up  two  or  three  threads  at  a  stitch. 

In  making  buttonholes,  it  is  best  to  have  a  pair  of 
scissors,  made  for  the  purpose,  which  cut  very  neatly. 
For  broadcloth,  a  chisel  and  board  are  better.  The 
best  stitch  is  made  by  putting  in  the  needle,  and  then 
turning  the  thread  around  it,  near  the  eye.  This  is 
better  than  to  draw  the  needle  through,  and  then  take 
up  a  loop.  A  thread  should  first  be  put  across  each 
side  of  the  buttonhole,  and  also  a  stay-thread,  or  bar, 
at  each  end,  before  working  it.  In  working  the  button- 
hole, keep  the  stay-thread  as  far  from  the  edge  as  pos- 
sible. A  small  bar  should  be  worked  at  each  end 


ON    SEWING,    CUTTING,    AND    MENDING.  325 

Whipping  is  done  better  by  sewing  over,  and  not  under 
The  roll  should  be  as  fine  as  possible,  the  stitches  short, 
the  thread  strong,  and  in  sewing,  every  gather  should 
be  taken  up. 

The  rule  for  gathering,  in  shirts,  is,  to  draw  a  thread, 
and  then  take  up  two  threads  and  skip  four.  In  darn- 
zng,  after  the  perpendicular  threads  are  run,  the  cross- 
ing threads  should  interlace,  exactly,  taking  one  thread 
and  leaving  one,  like  woven  threads. 

The  neatest  sewers  always  fit  and  baste  their  work, 
before  sewing ;  and  they  say  they  always  save  time  in 
the  end,  by  so  doing,  as  they  never  have  to  pick  out 
work,  on  account  of  mistakes. 

It  is  wise  to  sew  closely  and  tightly  all  new  garments, 
which  will  never  be  altered  in  shape ;  but  some  are 
more  nice  than  wise,  in  sewing  frocks,  and  old  gar- 
ments, in  the  same  style.  However,  this  is  the  least 
common  extreme.  It  is  much  more  frequently  the  case, 
that  articles,  which  ought  to  be  strongly  and  neatly 
made,  are  sewed  so  that  a  nice  sewer  would  rather 
pick  out  the  threads  and  sew  over  again,  than  to  be 
annoyed  with  the  sight  of  grinning  stitches,  and  vexed 
with  constant  rips. 

WorJcbasJcets.  It  is  very  important  to  neatness,  com 
fort,  and  success  in  sewing,  that  a  lady's  workbasket 
should  be  properly  fitted  up.  The  following  articles 
are  needful  to  the  mistress  of  a  family :  a  large  basket, 
to  hold  work ;  having  in  it,  fastened,  a  smaller  basket, 
or  box,  containing  a  needle-book,  in  which  are  needles 
of  every  size,  both  blunts  and  sharps,  with  a  largei 
number  of  those  sizes  most  used  ;  also,  small  and  large 
darning-needles,  for  woollen,  cotton,  and  silk  ;  two  tape 
needles,  large  and  small ;  nice  scissors,  for  fine  work , 
button-hole  scissors  ;  an  emery-bag ;  two  balls  of  white 
and  yellow  wax ;  and  two  thimbles,  in  case  one  should 
be  mislaid.  When  a  person  is  troubled  with  damp 
fingers,  a  lump  of  soft  chalk,  in  a  paper,  is  useful,  to 
rub  on  the  ends  of  the  fingers. 

Besides  this  box,  keep  in  the  basket,  common  scis- 
28  D.  E 


326  ON    SEWING,    CUTTING,    AND    MENDING. 

sors  ;  small  shears  ;  a  bag  containing  tapes,  of  all  colors 
and  sizes,  done  up  in  rolls  ;  bags,  one,  containing  spools 
of  white,  and  another  of  colored,  cotton  thread,  and 
another  for  silks,  wound  on  spools  or  papers ;  a  box  or 
bag  for  nice  buttons,  and  another  for  more  common 
ones ;  a  bag  containing  silk  braid,  welting  cords,  and 
galloon  binding.  Small  rolls  of  pieces  of  white  and 
brown  linen  and  cotton,  are  also  often  needed.  A 
brick  pincushion  is  a  great  convenience,  in  sewing,  and 
better  than  screw-cushions.  It  is  made  by  covering 
half  a  brick  with  cloth,  putting  a  cushion  on  the  top, 
and  covering  it  tastefully.  It  is  very  useful  to  hold  pins 
and  needles,  while  sewing,  and  to  fasten  long  seams 
when  basting  and  sewing. 

To  make  a  Frock.  The  best  way  for  a  novice,  is, 
to  get  a  dress  fitted  (not  sewed)  at  the  best  mantua- 
maker's.  Then  take  out  a  sleeve,  rip  it  to  pieces,  and 
cut  out  a  pattern.  Then  take  out  half  of  the  waist,  (it 
must  have  a  seam  in  front,)  and  cut  out  a  pattern  of  the 
back  and  fore-body,  both  lining  and  outer  part.  In 
cutting  the  patterns,  iron  the  pieces,  smooth,  let  the 
paper  be  stiff,  and,  with  a  pin,  prick  holes  in  the  paper, 
to  show  the  gore  in  front,  and  the  depth  of  the  seams. 
With  a  pen  and  ink,  draw  lines  from  each  pinhole,  to 
preserve  this  mark.  Then  baste  the  parts  together 
again,  in  doing  which,  the  unbasted  half  will  serve  as 
a  pattern.  When  this  is  done,  a  lady  of  common  in 
genuity  can  cut  and  fit  a  dress,  by  these  patterns.  If 
the  waist  of  a  dress  be  too  tight,  the  seam  under  the 
arm  must  be  let  out;  and  in  cutting  a  dress,  an  al- 
lowance should  be  made,  for  letting  it  out,  if  needful, 
at  this  seam.  The  lining  of  the  fore-body  must  be  bi- 
ased. 

The  linings  for  the  waists  of  dresses  should  be 
stiffened  cotton  or  linen.  In  cutting  bias-pieces,  for 
trimming,  they  will  not  set  well,  unless  they  are  exact. 
In  cutting  them,  use  a  long  rule,  and  a  lead  pencil  or 
piece  of  chalk.  Welting-cords  should  be  covered  with 
bias-pieces ;  and  it  saves  time,  in  many  cases,  to  baste 


ON    SEWING,    CUTTING,    AND    MENDING.  327 

on  the  welting-cord,  at  the  same  time  that  you  cover  it. 
The  best  way  to  put  on  hooks  and  eyes,  is  to  sew  them 
on  double  broad  tape,  and  then  sew  this  on  the  frock- 
lining.  They  can  then  be  moved  easily,  and  do  not 
show  where  they  are  sewed  on. 

In  cutting  a  sleeve,  double  it  biased.  The  skirts 
of  dresses  look  badly,  if  not  full ;  and  in  putting  on 
lining,  at  the  bottom,  be  careful  to  have  it  a  very  little 
fuller  than  the  dress,  or  it  will  shrink,  and  look  badly. 
All  thin  silks  look  much  better  with  lining,  and  last 
much  longer,  as  do  aprons,  also.  In  putting  a  lining 
to  a  dress,  baste  it  on  each  separate  breadth,  and  sew  it 
in  at  the  seams,  and  it  looks  much  better  than  to  have 
it  fastened  only  at  the  bottom.  Make  notches  in  sel- 
vedge, to  prevent  it  from  drawing  up  the  breadth. 
Dresses,  which  are  to  be  washed,  should  not  be 
lined. 

Figured  silks  do  not  generally  wear  well,  if  the 
figure  be  large  and  satin-like.  Black  and  plain-colored 
silks  can  be  tested,  by  procuring  samples,  and  making 
creases  in  them ;  fold  the  creases  in  a  bunch,  and  rub 
them  against  a  rough  surface,  of  moreen  or  carpeting. 
Those  which  are  poor,  will  soon  wear  off,  at  the  creases. 
Plaids  look  becoming,  for  tall  women,  as  they  shorten 
the  appearance  of  the  figure.  Stripes  look  becoming, 
on  a  large  person,  as  they  reduce  the  apparent  size. 
Pale  persons  should  not  wear  blue  or  green,  and 
brunettes  should  not  wear  light  delicate  colors,  except 
shades  of  buff,  fawn,  or  straw  color.  Pearl  white 
is  not  good  for  any  complexion.  Dead  white  and 
black  look  becoming  on  almost  all  persons  It  is  best 
to  try  colors,  by  candle-light,  for  evening  dresses ;  as 
some  colors,  which  look  very  handsome  in  the  daylight, 
are  very  homely  when  seen  by  candle-light.  Never 
cut  a  dress  low  in  the  neck,  as  this  shows  that  a 
woman  is  not  properly  instructed  in  the  rules  of  mod- 
esty and  decorum,  or  that  she  has  not  sense  enough  to 
regard  them.  Never  be  in  haste  to  be  first  in  a  fash- 
ion, and  never  go  to  the  extremes. 


.128  ON    SEWING,    CUTTING,    AND    MENDING. 

In  buying  linen,  seek  for  that  which  has  a  round 
close  thread,  and  is  perfectly  white ;  for,  if  it  be  not 
white,  at  first,  it  will  never  afterwards  become  so. 
Much  that  is  called  linen,  at  the  shops,  is  half  cotton, 
and  does  not  wear  so  well  as  cotton  alone.  Cheap 
linens  are  usually  of  this  kind.  It  is  difficult  to  discover 
which  are  all  linen ;  but  the  best  way,  is,  to  find  a  lot, 
presumed  to  be  good,  take  a  sample,  wash  it,  and  ravel 
it.  If  this  be  good,  the  rest  of  the  same  lot  will  prob- 
ably be  so.  If  you  cannot  do  this,  draw  a  thread,  each 
way,  and  if  both  appear  equally  strong,  it  is  probably 
all  linen.  Linen  and  cotton  must  be  put  in  clean 
water,  and  boiled,  to  get  out  the  starch,  and  ther> 
ironed.  A  long  piece  of  linen,  a  yard  wide,  will,  with 
care  and  calculation,  make  eight  shirts.  In  cutting  it, 
take  a  shirt  of  the  right  size,  as  a  guide,  in  fitting  and 
basting.  Bosom-pieces,  false  collars,  &c.  must  be  cut 
and  fitted,  by  a  pattern  which  suits  the  person  for  whom 
the  articles  are  designed.  Gentlemen's  night-shirts  are 
made  like  other  shirts,  except  that  they  are  longer. 
In  cutting  chemises,  if  the  cotton  or  linen  is  a  yard 
wide,  cut  off  small  half  gores,  at  the  top  of  the  breadths, 
and  set  them  on  the  bottom.  Use  a  long  rule  and  a 
pencil,  in  cutting  gores.  In  cutting  cotton,  which  is 
quite  wide,  a  seam  can  be  saved,  by  cutting  out  two  at 
once,  in  this  manner: — cut  off  three  breadths,  and, 
with  a  long  rule  and  a  pencil,  mark  and  cut  off  the 
gores,  thus :  from  one  breadth,  cut  off  two  gores,  the 
whole  length,  each  gore  one  fourth  of  the  breadth,  at 
the  bottom,  and  tapering  off  to  a  point,  at  the  top. 
The  other  two  breadths  are  to  have  a  gore  cut  off  from 
each,  which  is  one  fourth  wide  at  top,  and  two  fourths 
at  bottom.  Arrange  these  pieces  right,  and  they  will 
make  two  chemises,  one  having  four  seams,  and  the 
other  three.  This  is  a  much  easier  way  of  cutting, 
than  sewing  the  three  breadths  together,  in  bag-fashion, 
as  is  often  done.  The  biased,  or  goring  seams,  must 
always  be  felled.  The  sleeves  and  neck  can  be  cut 
according  to  the  taste  of  the  wearer,  by  another  chemise 


ON    SEWING     CUTTING,    AND    MENDING.  329 

for  a  pattern.     There  should  be  a  lining  around  the_ 
armholes,  and  stays  at  all  corners.     Six  yards,  of  yard 
width,  will  make  two  chemises. 

Old  silk  dresses,  quilted  for  skirts,  are  very  service 
able.  White  flannel  is  soiled  so  easily,  and  shrinks  SD 
much  in  washing,  that  it  is  a  good  plan  to  color  it  a 
light  dove-color,  according  to  the  receipt  given  on  page 
301.  Cotton  flannel,  dyed  thus,  is  also  good  for  com- 
mon skirts.  In  making  up  flannel,  back-stitch  and  run 
the  seams,  and  then  cross-stitch  them  open.  Nice 
flannel,  for  infants,  can  be  ornamented,  with  very  little 
expense  of  time,  by  turning  up  the  hem,  on  the  right 
side,  and  making  a  little  vine  at  the  edge,  with  saddler's 
silk.  The  stitch  of  the  vine  is  a  modification  of 
buttonhole-stitch. 

Long  night  gowns  are  best,  cut  a  little  goring.  It  re 
quires  five  yards,  for  a  long  nightgown,  and  two  and  a 
half  for  a  short  one.  Linen  nightcaps  wear  longer  than 
cotton  ones,  and  do  not,  like  them,  turn  yellow.  They 
should  be  ruffled  with  linen,  as  cotton  borders  will  not 
last  so  long  as  the  cap.  A  double-quilted  wrapper  is  a 
great  comfort,  in  case  of  sickness.  It  may  be  made 
of  two  old  dresses.  It  should  not  be  cut  full,  but 
rather  like  a  gentleman's  study-gown,  having  no  gathers 
or  plaits,  but  large  enough  to  slip  off  and  on  with  ease. 
A  double  gown,  of  calico,  is  also  very  useful.  Most 
articles  of  dress,  for  grown  persons  or  children,  require 
patterns. 

Bedding.  The  best  beds,  are  thick  hair  mattresses, 
which,  for  persons  in  health,  are  good  for  Winter  as 
well  as  Summer  use.  Mattresses  may  also  be  made  of 
husks,  dried  and  drawn  into  shreds ;  also,  of  alternate 
layers  of  cotton  and  moss.  The  most  profitable  sheet- 
ing, is  the  Russian,  which  will  last  three  times  as  long 
as  any  other.  It  is  never  perfectly  white.  Unbleached 
cotton  is  good  for  Winter.  It  is  poor  economy  to 
make  narrow  and  short  sheets,  as  children  and  domes- 
tics will  always  slip  them  off,  and  soil  the  bedtick  and 
bolster.  They  should  be  three  yards  long,  and  two 

28*  D.  E. 


330     ON  SEWING,  CUTTING,  AND  MENDING. 

and  a  half  wide,  so  that  they  can  be  tucked  in  all 
around.     All  bed-linen  should  be  marked  and  num 
bered,  so  that  a  bed  can  always  be  made  properly,  and 
all  missing  articles  be  known. 

Mending.  Silk  dresses  will  last  mucn  longer,  by  rip 
ping  out  the  sleeves,  when  thin,  and  changing  the  arms, 
and  also  the  breadths  of  the  skirt.  Tumbled  black  silk, 
which  is  old  and  rusty,  should  be  dipped  in  water,  then 
be  drained  for  a  few  minutes^  without  squeezing  or 
pressing,  and  then  ironed.  Cold  tea  is  better  than 
water.  Sheets,  when  worn  thin  in  the  middle,  should  be 
ripped,  and  the  other  edges  sewed  together.  Wind9w- 
curtains  last  much  longer,  if  lined,  as  the  sun  fades  and 
rots  them.  Broadcloth  should  be  cut  with  reference 
to  the  way  the  nap  runs.  When  pantaloons  are  thin, 
it  is  best  to  newly  seat  them,  cutting  the  piece  inserted 
in  a  curve,  as  corners  are  difficult  to  fit.  When  the 
knees  are  thin,  it  is  a  case  of  domestic  surgery,  which 
demands  amputation.  This  is  performed,  by  cutting  off 
both  legs,  some  distance  above  the  knees,  and  then 
changing  the  legs.  Take  care  to  cut  them  off  exactly 
of  the  same  length,  or  in  the  exchange  they  will  not 
fit.  This  method  brings  the  worn  spot  under  the  knees, 
and  the  seam  looks  much  better  than  a  patch  and  darn. 
Hose  can  be  cut  down,  when  the  feet  are  worn.  Take 
an  old  stocking,  and  cut  it  up  for  a  pattern.  Make 
the  heel  short.  In  sewing,  turn  each  edge,  and  run  it 
down,  and  then  sew  over  the  edges.  This  is  better 
than  to  stitch  and  then  cross-stitch.  Run  thin  places 
in  stockings,  and  it:  will  save  darning  a  hole.  If  shoes 
are  worn  through  on  the  sides,  in  the  upper-leather, 
slip  pieces  of  broadcloth  under,  and  sew  them  around 
the  holes.  If,  in  sewing,  the  thread  kinks,  break  it  off 
and  begin  at  the  other  end.  In  using  spool-cotton, 
thread  the  needle  with  the  end  which  comes  off  first, 
and  not  the  end  where  you  break  it  off.  This  often 
prevents  kinks. 


ON  THE  CARE  OP  YARDS  AND  GARDENS.    331 

CHAPTER  XXXIV. 

ON  THE  CARE  OF  YARDS  AND  GARDENS. 

THE  authorities  consulted  in  the  preparation  of  this 
and  kindred  chapters,  are,  London's  Encyclopaedia  of 
Gardening,  Bridgeman's  Young  Gardener,  Hovey's 
Magazine  of  Horticulture,  the  writings  of  Judge  Buel,* 
and  Downing's  Landscape  Gardening. 

On  the  Preparation  of  Soil. 

If  the  garden  soil  be  clayey,  and  adhesive,  put  on 
a  covering  of  sand,  three  inches  thick,  and  the  same 
depth  of  well-rotted  manure.  Spade  it  in,  as  deep  as 
possible,  and  mix  it  well.  If  the  soil  be  sandy  and 
loose,  spade  in  clay  and  ashes.  Ashes  are  good  for  all 
kinds  of  soil,  as  they  loosen  those  which  are  close,  hold 
moisture  in  those  which  are  sandy,  and  destroy  insects. 
The  best  kind  of  soil,  is  that,  which  will  hold  water 
the  longest,  without  becoming  hard,  when  dry. 

To  prepare  Soil  for  Pot-plants,  take  one  fourth  part 
of  common  soil,  one  fourth  part  of  well-decayed  ma- 
nure, and  one  half  of  vegetable  mould,  from  the  woods, 
or  from  a  chip-yard.  Break  up  the  manure,  fine,  and 
sift  it  through  a  lime-screen,  (or  coarse  wire  sieve.) 
These  materials  must  be  thoroughly  mixed.  When 
the  common  soil  which  is  used,  is  adhesive,  and,  indeed, 
in  most  other  cases,  it  is  necessary  to  add  sand,  the  pro- 
portion of  which,  must  depend  on  the  nature  of  the  soil. 

On  the  Preparation  of  a  Hot  Bed.  Dig  a  pit,  six 
feet  long,  five  feet  wide,  and  thirty  inches  deep.  Make 
a  frame,  of  the  same  size,  with  the  back  two  feet  high, 
the  front  fifteen  inches,  and  the  sides  sloped  from  the 
back  to  the  front.  Make  two  sashes,  each  three  feet 

*  His  '  Fanners'  Companion '  was  written  expressly  for  the  larger 
series  of  THE  SCHOOL  LIBRARY,'  issued  by  the  publishers  of  this 
volume. 


332   ON  THE  CARE  OF  YARDS  AND  GARDENS. 

by  five,  with  the  panes  of  glass  lapping  like  shingles, 
instead  of  having  cross  bars.  Set  the  frame  over  the 
pit,  which  should  then  be  filled  with  fresh  horse-dung, 
which  has  not  lain  long,  nor  been  sodden  by  water 
Tread  it  down,  hard,  then  put  into  the  frame,  light,  and 
very  rich  soil,  ten  or  twelve  inches  deep,  and  cover  it 
with  the  sasnes,  for  two  or  three  days.  Then  stir  the 
soil,  and  sow  the  seeds  in  shallow  drills,  placing  sticks 
by  them,  to  mark  the  different  kinds.  Keep  the  frame 
covered  with  the  glass,  whenever  it  is  cold  enough  to 
chill  the  plants ;  but  at  all  other  times,  admit  fresh  air, 
which  is  indispensable  to  their  health.  When  the  sun 
is  quite  warm,  raise  the  glasses,  enough  to  admit  air, 
and  cover  them  with  matting  or  blankets,  or  else  the 
sun  may  kill  the  young  plants.  Water  the  bed  at 
evening,  with  water  which  has  stood  all  day,  or,  if  it  be 
fresh  drawn,  add  a  little  warm  water.  If  there  be  too 
much  heat  in  the  bed,  so  as  to  scorch  or  wither  the 
plants,  make  deep  holes,  with  stakes,  and  fill  them  up 
when  the  heat  is  reduced.  In  very  cold  nights,  cover 
the  box  with  straw. 

On  Planting  Flower  Seeds. 

Break  up  the  soil,  till  it  is  very  soft,  and  free  irom 
lumps.  Rub  that  nearest  the  surface,  between  the 
hands,  to  make  it  fine.  Make  a  circular  drill,  a  foot  in 
diameter.  For  seeds  as  large  as  sweet  peas,  it  should 
be  half  an  inch  deep.  The  smallest  seeds  must  be 
planted  very  near  the  surface,  and  a  very  little  fine 
earth  be  sifted  over  them.  Seeds  are  to  be  planted 
either  deeper  or  nearer  the  surface,  according  to  their 
size.  After  covering  them  with  soil,  beat  them  down 
with  a  trowel,  so  as  to  make  the  earth  as  compact  as  it 
is  after  a  heavy  shower.  Set  up  a  stick,  in  the  middle 
of  the  circle,  with  the  name  of  the  plant  heavily  writ- 
ten upon  it,  with  a  dark  lead  pencil.  This  remains 
more  permanent,  if  white  lead  be  first  rubbed  over  the 
surface.  Never  plant,  when  the  soil  is  very  wet.  In 
very  dry  times,  water  the  seeds  at  night  Never  use 


ON  THE  CARE  OF  YARDS  AND  GARDENS.    333 

very  cold  water.  When  the  seeds  are  small,  many 
should  be  planted  together,  that  they  may  assist  each 
other  in  breaking  the  soil.  When  the  plants  are  an 
inch  high,  thin  them  out,  leaving  only  one  or  two,  if 
the  plant  be  a  large  one,  like  the  Balsam ;  five  or  six, 
when  it  is  of  a  medium  size ;  and  eighteen  or  twenty 
of  the  smaller  size.  Transplanting,  retards  the  growth 
of  a  plant  about  a  fortnight.  It  is  best  to  plant  at 
two  different  times,  lest  the  first  planting  should  fail, 
owing  to  wet  or  cold  weather.  "* 

To  Plant  Garden  Seeds. 

Make  the  beds  a  yard  wide ;  lay  across  them  a 
board,  a  yard  long  and  a  foot  wide,  and,  with  a  stick, 
make  a  furrow,  on  each  side  of  it,  one  inch  deep. 
Scatter  the  seeds  in  this  furrow,  and  cover  them. 
Then  lay  the  board  over  them  and  step  on  it,  to  press 
down  the  earth.  When  the  plants  are  an  inch  high, 
thin  them  out,  leaving  spaces  proportioned  to  their 
sizes.  Seeds  of  a  similar  species,  such  as  melons  and 
squashes,  should  not  be  planted  very  near  to  each  other, 
as  this  causes  them  to  degenerate.  The  same  kinds  of 
vegetables  should  not  be  planted  in  the  same  place,  for 
two  years  in  succession. 

On   Transplanting. 

Transplant  at  evening,  or,  which  is  better,  just  before 
a  shower.  Take  a  round  stick,  sharpened  at  the  point, 
and  make  openings  to  receive  the  plants.  Set  them  a 
very  little  deeper  than  they  were  before,  and  press  the 
soil  firmly  round  them.  Then  water  them,  and  cover 
them  for  three  or  four  days,  taking  care  that  sufficient 
air  be  admitted.  If  the  plant  can  be  removed,  without 
disturbing  the  soil  around  the  root,  it  will  not  be  at  all 
retarded,  by  transplanting.  Never  remove  leaves  and 
branches,  unless  a  part  of  the  roots  be  lost. 

To  Re-pot  House- Plants. 
Renew  the   soil,  every   year}  soon   after  the   time 


334 


ON  THE  CARE  OF  YARDS  AND  GARDENS. 


of  blossoming.  Prepare  soil,  as  previously  directed. 
Loosen  the  earth  from  the  pot,  by  passing  a  knife 
around  the  sides.  Turn  the  plant  upside  down,  and 
remove  the  pot.  Then  remove  all  the  matted  fibres  at 
the  bottom,  and  all  the  earth,  except  that  which  adheres 
to  the  roots.  From  woody  plants,  like  roses,  shake  off 
all  the  earth.  Take  the  new  pot,  and  put  a  piece  of 
broken  earthen-ware  over  the  hole  at  the  bottom ;  and 
then,  holding  the  plant  in  the  proper  position,  shake  in 
the  earth,  around  it.  "'Then  pour  in  water,  to  settle  the 
earth,  and  heap  on  fresh  soil,  till  the  pot  is  even  full. 
Small  pots  are  considered  better  than  large  ones,  as 
the  roots  are  not  so  likely  to  rot,  from  excess  of  moisture. 

On  the  Laying  out  of  Yards  and  Gardens. 

In  planting  trees,  in  a  yard,  they  should  be  arranged 
in  groups,  and  never  planted  in  straight  lines,  nor 
sprinkled  about,  as  solitary  trees.  The  object  of  this 
arrangement,  is,  to  imitate  Nature,  and  secure  some 
spots  of  dense  shade  and  some  of  cleared  turf.  In 
yards  which  are  covered  with  turf,  beds  can  be  cut  out 
of  it,  and  raised  for  flowers.  A  trench  should  be  made 
around,  to  prevent  the  grass  from  running  on  them. 
These  beds  can  be  made  in  the  shape  of  crescents, 
ovals,  or  other  fanciful  forms,  of  which,  the  figure 
below  is  one  specimen. 


In  laying  out  beds,  in  gardens  and  yards,  a  very  pret- 
ty bordering  can  be  made,  by  planting  them  with  com- 
mon flax  seed,  in  a  line  about  three  inches  from  the 
edge.  This  can  be  trimmed,  with  shears,  when  it 
grows  too  high. 


ON  THE  CARE  OF  YARDS  AND  GARDENS.    335 

On  the  Cultivation  of  Bulbs,  and  Tuberous  Roots. 

For  planting  the  Amaryllis,  take  one  third  part  of 
leaf  mould,  half  as  much  sand,  and  the  remainder, 
earth  from  under  fresh  grass  sods.  Plant  them  in  May 
The  bulb  should  not  be  set  more  than  half  its  depth  in 
the  ground. 

The  Anemone  and  Ranunculus  are  medium,  or  half- 
hardy,  roots.  They  should  be  planted  in  soil  which  is 
enriched  with  cowdung,  and  the  beds  should  be  raised 
only  an  inch  from  the  walk.  They  must  be  planted  in 
October,  in  drills,  two  inches  deep,  the  claws  of  the 
roots  downward,  and  be  shaded  when  they  begin  to 
bud. 

The  Crocus  must  be  planted  in  October,  two  inches 
deep,  and  four  inches  apart.  In  measuring  the  depth, 
always  calculate  from  the  top  of  the  bulb. 

Croivn  Imperial.  This  must  be  planted  in  Septem- 
ber, three  or  four  inches  deep ;  and  need  not  be  taken 
up  but  once  in  three  years. 

Gladiolus.  Those  who  have  greenhouses,  or  pits, 
plant  the  Gladiolus  in  October,  and  preserve  it  in  pots 
through  the  Winter.  Those  who  have  not  these  con- 
veniences, may  plant  these  bulbs  late  in  April.  The 
earth  must  be  composed  of  one  half  common  soil, 
one  fourth  leaf  mould,  and  one  fourth  sand.  Plant 
them  about  an  inch  deep. 

Hyacinths  should  be  planted  in  October,  eight  inches 
apart,  and  three  or  four  inches  deep,  in  a  rich  soil. 

Jonquittes  should  be  planted  in  October,  two  inches 
deep,  in  a  rich  soil,  and  should  not  be  taken  up  oftener 
than  once  in  three  years. 

Narcissus.  This  should  be  planted  in  October,  four 
inches  deep ;  coveted,  through  the  Winter,  with  straw 
and  leaves,  six  inches  thick ;  and  uncovered  in  the 
middle  of  March. 

Oxalis.  Plant  this  in  September,  in  a  soil,  composed 
of  two  thirds  common  earth,  and  one  third  leaf  mould. 
The  old  bulb  dies  after  blossoming,  and  is  succeeded 
by  a  new  one 


336     ON  THE  CARE  OF  YARDS  AND  GARDENS. 

Plant  Tulips,  in  rich  soil,  in  October,  three  inches 
deep. 

Plant  Tuberoses  late  in  April,  in  a  rich,  sandy  soil. 
They  are  delicate  plants,  and  should  be  covered,  in  case 
of  frosts. 

Daffodils  should  be  planted  two  inches  deep. 

When  bulbs  have  done  flowering,  and  their  leaves 
begin  to  decay,  they  should  be  taken  up  and  dried,  and 
kept  in  a  dry  place,  till  October,  when  they  are  to  be 
replanted,  taking  off  the  offsets,  and  putting  them  in 
a  bed  by  themselves. 

Bulbs  which  blossom  in  water,  or  are  in  any  other 
way  forced  to  bloom  out  of  season,  are  so  much  ex- 
hausted by  it,  that  it  takes  them  two  or  three  years  to 
recover  their  beauty. 

Dahlias.  Dig  a  hole,  a  foot  and  a  half  deep  ;  fill  it 
with  very  light,  loose,  and  rich,  soil ;  and  drive  in  a 
stake,  a  yard  and  a  half  high,  to  which,  to  tie  the  future 
plants.  Then  set  in  the  root,  so  that  it  shall  be  an  inch 
below  the  soil,  where  the  sprout  starts.  When  the 
plants  are  two  feet  high,  tie  them  to  the  stakes,  and 
take  off  some  of  the  lower  side-shoots.  Continue  to 
tie  them,  as  their  growth  advances.  If  the  roots  are 
planted  in  the  open  borders,  without  any  previous 
growth,  it  should  be  done  as  early  as  the  first  of  May, 
and  they  should  be  covered  from  the  frosts.  When 
they  are  brought  forward,  in  pots  or  hot-beds,  they 
should  be  put  out,  in  the  middle  of  June.  It  is  said, 
by  gardeners,  that  late  planting,  is  better  than  early,  for 
producing  perfect  flowers.  In  the  Autumn,  after  the 
frosts  have  destroyed  the  tops,  let  the  roots  remain 
awhile  in  the  ground,  to  ripen ;  then  dig  them  up,  and 
pack  them  away,  in  some  place  where  they  will  neither 
mould,  from  dampness,  nor  freeze.  In  the  Spring,  these 
roots  will  throw  out  sprouts,  and  must  then  be  divided, 
so  as  to  leave  a  good  shoot,  attached  to  a  piece  of  the 
tuber  or  old  stem,  and  each  shoot  will  make  a  new 
plant.  It  is  stated,  that  if  the  shoots  themselves,  with- 
out any  root,  be  planted  in  light  soil,  covered  with  a 
• 


ON  THE  CARE  OF  YARDS  AND  GARDENS.    337 

>eli-glass,  or  large  tumbler,  and  carefully  watered,  they 
will  produce  plants  superior  to  those  with  roots. 

Annuals 

These  are  flowers  which  last  only  one  season.  They 
should  be  so  planted,  that  the  tallest  may  be  in  the 
middle  of  a  bed,  and  the  shortest  at  the  edges ;  and 
flowers  of  a  similar  color  should  not  be  planted  adjacent 
to  each  other. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  some  of  the  handsomest 
Annuals,  arranged  with  reference  to  their  color  and 
height.  Those  with  a  star  before  them,  do  best  when 
sowed  in  the  Autumn.  Those  with  tr.  after  them,  are 
trailing  plants. 

SIX    INCHES    TO    ONE    FOOT    HIGH. 

White.  Ice  Plant,  Sweet  Alyssum,  White  Lep- 
tosiphon,  Walker's  Schizopetalon,  Blumenbachia  in- 
signis,  *  Candytuft. 

Yellow.  *  Yellow  Chryseis  or  Eschscholtzia,  Sanvi- 
talia  procumbens,  tr.t  Musk-flowered  Mimulus. 

Rose.  Many-flowered  Catchfly,  Rose-colored  Ver- 
bena, tr. 

Red.  *  Chinese  Annual  Pink,  Virginian  Stock,  Ca- 
landrinia  Speciosa. 

Blue.  Graceful  Lobelia,  Nemophila  insignis,  Clin- 
tonia  pulchella,  Clintonia  elegans,  Nolana  atriplici- 
folia,  tr.,  Anagallis  indica,  Commelina  ccelestis,  Grove 
Love,  Pimpernel  (blue.) 

Varying  Colors.  *  Heart's  Ease,  or  Pansy,  Dwarf 
Love  in  a  Mist,  *  Rose  Campion. 

ONE    FOOT    TO    EIGHTEEN    INCHES    HIGH. 

White.  Venus's  Looking  Glass,  Priest's  Schizanthus, 
Sweet-scented  Stevia,  White  Evening  Primrose. 

Yellow.  Drummond's  Coreopsis,  *  New  Dark  Core- 
opsis, Golden  Hawkweed,  Dracopis  amplexicaulis,  Drum- 
mond's Primrose,  Cladanthus  arabicus,  Peroflsky's  Ery- 
simum. 

29  o.  R 


338    ON  THE  CARE  OF  YARDS  AND  GARDENS. 

Rose.  Drummond's  Phlox,  Rodanthe,  Rose-colored 
Nonea,  Clarkia  rosea,  Silene  Tenorei,  Silene  armeria. 

Red.  Crimson  Coxcomb,  Silene  pendula,  Crimson 
Dew  Plant,  tr. 

Scarlet.  Cacalia  coccinea,  Flos  Adonis,  Scarlel 
Zinnia,  Mexican  Cuphea. 

Lilac  and  Purple.  Clarkia  elegans,  Clarkia  pulchella, 
*  Purple  Candytuft,  *  Purple  Petunia,  tr.,  *  Crimson 
Candytuft,  Double  Purple  Jacobaea,  Leptosiphon  an- 
drosaceus,  all  the  varieties  of  Schizanthus,  Veined  Ver- 
bena, tr.,  *  Purple  eternal  Flower. 

Blue.     Ageratum  Mexicanum,  *  Gilia  capitata,  Span 
ish  Nigella,  Blue  Eutoca,  Dwarf  Convolvulus,  Didiscus 
co3ruleus. 

Lilac,  Purple,  or  Blue  and  White.  Collinsia  bicolor, 
Gilia  tricolor. 

Very  Dark.     Lotus  Jacobaeus,  Salpiglossis,  Scabious. 

Colors  varying.  German  Aster,  Balsam,  Rocket 
Larkspur,  Ten-week  Stock,  Poppy. 

EIGHTEEN   INCHES    TO   TWO    FEET 

White.  *  White  Petunia,  tr.,  White  Clarkia,  Double 
White  Jacobaea,  Love  in  a  Mist. 

Red.  *Lavatera  trimestris,  Red  Zinnia,  Malva 
miniata. 

Lilac  and  Purple.  Globe  Amaranthus,  Purple  Sweei 
Sultan,  Sweet  Scabious,  Purple  Zinnia,  Prince's  Feather 
Large  Blue  Lupine,  *  Catchfly. 

TWO    FEET   AND    UPWARDS. 

fVhite.  Winged  Ammobium,  *  White  Lavatera, 
White  Sweet  Sultan,  *New  White  Eternal  Flower, 
White  Helicrysum,  *  White  Larkspur. 

Yellow.  Golden  Bartonia,  *  Golden  Coreopsis,  Yel 
low  Sweet  Suitan,  African  Marigold,  Yellow  Argemone, 
French  Mangold,  Yellow  Coxcomb,  Yellow  Hibiscus. 

The  Malope  grandiflora  and  the  Cleome  are  fine  tall 
annuals. 


ON  THE  CARE  OF  YARDS  AND  GARDENS.    339 

Climbing  Plants. 

The  following  are  the  most  beautiful  annual  climbers . 
Crimson,  and  White,  Cypress  Vine ;  White,  and  Bun* 
Thunbergia ;  Scarlet  Flowering  Bean  ;  Hyacinth  Bean 
Loasa ;  Morning:  Glory ;  Crimson,  and  Spotted,  Nas 
turtium ;  Balloon  Vine ;  Sweet  Pea :  Tangier  Pea 
Lord  Anson's  Pea ;  Climbing  Cobsea ;  Pink,  and  White 
Maurandia. 

The  following  are  the  most  valuable  perenniat 
climbers :  Sweet-scented  Monthly  Honeysuckle ;  Yel- 
low, White,  and  Coral  Honeysuckles ;  Purple  Glycine  : 
Clematis  ;  Bitter  Sweet :  Trumpet  Creeper. 

The  Everlasting  Pea  is  a  beautiful  perennial  climber. 
The  Climbing  Cobaea,  and  Passion  Flower,  are  also 
beautiful  perennials,  but  must  be  protected  in  Winter. 

Perennials. 

Those  who  cannot  afford  every  year  to  devote  the 
time  necessary  to  the  raising  of  annuals,  will  do  well  to 
supply  their  borders  with  perennials.  The  following  19 
a  list  of  some  of  those  generally  preferred. 

Adonis,  yellow ;  Columbine,  all  colors ;  Alyssum 
yellow ;  Asclepias,  orange  and  purple ;  Bee  Lark- 
spur, blue ;  Perennial  Larkspur,  all  colors ;  Cardinal 
Flower,  scarlet ;  Chinese  Pink,  various  colors  ;  Clove 
Pink ;  Foxglove,  purple  and  white  ;  Gentian,  purple 
and  yellow  ;  Hollyhock,  various  colors  ;  *  Lily  of  the 
Valley  ;  American  Phlox,  various  colors  ;  Scarlet  Lych 
nis ;  Monkshood,  white  and  blue  ;  *  Spirea,  white  and 
pink  ;  *  Ragged  Robin,  pink  ;  Rudbeckia,  yellow  and 
purple ;  Sweet  William,  in  variety.  Those  marked 
with  a  star  cannot  be  obtained  from  seed,  but  must  be 
propagated  by  roots,  layers,  &c. 

Herbaceous  Roots. 

These  are  such  as  die  to  the  root,  in  the  Fall,  and 
come  up  again  in  the  Spring,  such  as  Paeonies,  crimson, 
white,  sweet-scented,  and  straw-colored;  Artemisia, 


340    ON  THE  CARE  OF  YARDS  AND  GARDENS. 

of  many  colors ;  White  and  Purple  Fleur-de-lis  ;  White, 
Tiger,  Fire,  and  other  Lilies  ;  Little  Blue  Iris  ;  Chrys- 
anthemums, &c.  These  are  propagated  by  dividing 
the  roots. 

Shrubs. 

The  following  are  the  finest  Shrubs  for  yards  :  Li- 
lacs, (which,  by  budding,  can  have  white  and  purple 
on  the  same  tree,)  Double  Syringas,  Double  Althaeas. 
Corchorus  Japonicus,  Snow-berry,  Double-flowering 
Almond,  Pyrus  Japonica,  Common  Barberry,  Burning 
Bush,  Rose  Acacia,  Yellow  Laburnum.  The  following 
are  the  finest  Roses :  Moss  Rose,  White,  and  Red  ; 
Double  and  Single  Yellow  Rose,  (the  last  needs  a 
gravelly  soil  and  northern  exposure ;)  Yellow  Multi- 
flora  ;  La  Belle  Africana ;  Small  Eglantine,  for  borders  ; 
Champney's  Blush  Rose ;  Noisette ;  Greville,  (very 
fine ;)  Damask  ;  Blush,  White,  and  Cabbage  Roses. 
Moss  Roses,  when  budded  on  other  rose  bushes,  last 
only  three  years. 

Shade  Trees.  The  following  are  among  the  finest  : 
Mountain  Ash ;  Ailanthus,  or  Tree  of  Heaven,  (grows 
very  fast ;)  Tulip  Tree  ;  Linden  ;  Elm  ;  Locust ;  Ma- 
ple ;  Dog  Wood  ;  Horse  Chestnut ;  Catalpa ;  Hemlock  ; 
Silver  Fir ;  and  Cedar.  These  should  be  grouped,  in 
such  fi  manner  that  trees  of  different  shades  of  green, 
and  of  different  heights,  should  stand  in  the  same 
group. 

The  Autumn  is  the  best  time  for  transplanting  trees. 
Take  as  much  of  the  root,  as  possible,  especially  the 
little  fibres,  which  should  never  become  dry.  If  kept 
long,  before  they  are  set  out,  put  wet  moss  around 
them,  and  water  them.  Dig  holes,  larger  than  the  ex- 
tent of  the  roots  ;  let  one  person  hold  the  tree  in  its 
former  position,  and  another  place  the  roots,  carefully, 
as  they  were  before,  cutting  off  any  broken  or  wounded 
root.  Be  careful  not  to  let  the  tree  be  more  than  an 
inch  deeper  than  it  ivas  before.  Let  the  soil  be  soft, 
and  well  manured ;  shake  the  tree,  as  the  soil  is  shaken 


ON  THE  PROPAGATION  OF  PLANTS.       34 

in,  that  it  may  mix  well  among  the  small  fibres.  DC 
not  tread  the  earth  down,  while  filling  the  hole ;  but, 
when  it  is  full,  raise  a  slight  mound,  of,  say,  four  inches, 
and  then  tread  it  down.  Make  a  little  basin,  two  inches 
deep,  around  the  stem,  to  hold  water,  and  fill  it.  Nevei 
cut  off  leaves  nor  branches,  unless  some  of  the  roots  arc 
lost.  Tie  the  trees  to  a  stake,  ana  they  will  be  more 
likely  to  live.  Water  them  often. 

On  the  Care  of  House-Plants. 

The  soil  of  house-plants  should  be  renewed  every 
year,  as  previously  directed.  In  Winter,  they  should 
be  kept  as  dry  as  they  can  be  without  wilting.  Many 
house-plants  are  injured  by  giving  them  too  much 
water,  when  they  have  little  light  and  fresh  air.  This 
makes  them  grow  spindling.  The  more  fresh  air, 
warmth,  and  light,  they  have,  the  more  water  is  needed. 
They  ought  not  to  be  kept  very  warm  in  Winter,  nor 
exposed  to  great  changes  of  atmosphere.  Forty  degrees 
is  a  proper  temperature  for  plants  in  Winter,  when  they 
have  little  sun  and  air.  When  plants  have  become 
spindling,  cut  off  their  heads,  entirely,  and  <x>ver  the 
pot  in  the  earth,  where  it  has  the  morning  snn,  only. 
A  new  and  flourishing  head  will  spring  out  Few 
house-plants  can  bear  the  sun  at  noon.  When  insects 
infest  plants,  set  them  in  a  closet,  or  under  a  barrel, 
and  burn  tobacco.  The  smoke  kills  any  insect  envel- 
oped in  it.  When  plants  are  frozen,  cold  water,  and  a 
gradual  restoration  of  warmth,  are  the  best  remedies 
Never  use  very  cold  water  for  plants,  at  any  season 


CHAPTER    XXXV. 

ON  THE  PROPAGATION  OF  PLANTS. 

BULBOUS   roots    are   propagated   by   offsets;    some 
growing  on  the  top,  others  around  the  sides.     Many 
29*  D.  E. 


•342  ON   THE    PROPAGATION    OF    PLANTS 

plants  are  propagated  by  cutting  off  twigs,  and  setting 
them  in  earth,  so  that  two  or  three  eyes  are  covered. 
To  do  this,  select  a  side  shoot,  ten  inches  long,  two 
inches  of  it,  being  of  the  preceding  year's  growth,  and 
the  rest,  the  growth  of  the  season  when  it  is  set  out. 
Do  this,  when  the  sap  is  running,  and  put  a  piece  of 
crockery  at  the  bottom  of  the  shoot,  when  it  is  buried. 
One  eye,  at  least,  must  be  under  the  soil.  Water  it, 
and  shade  it  in  hot  weather.  Plants  are  also  propa- 
gated by  layers.  To  do  this,  take  a  shoot,  which  comes 
up  near  the  root,  bend  it  down,  so  as  to  bring  several 
eyes  under  the  soil,  leaving  the  top  above  ground. 
If  the  shoot  be  cut  half  through,  in  a  slanting  direction, 
at  one  of  these  eyes,  before  burying  it,  the  result  is 
more  certain.  Roses,  honeysuckles,  and  many  other 
shrubs,  are  readily  propagated  thus.  They  will  gen- 
erally take  root,  by  being  simply  buried ;  but  cutting 
them,  as  here  directed,  is  the  best  method.  Layers  are 
more  certain  than  cuttings.  For  all  woody  plants,  bud- 
ding and  grafting  are  favorite  methods  of  propagation. 
In  all  such  plants,  there  is  an  outer  and  inner  bark 
the  latter  containing  the  sap  vessels,  in  which  the  nour- 
ishment of  the  tree  ascends. 

The  success  of  grafting,  or  inoculating,  consists  in  so 
pkcing  the  bud  or  graft,  that  the  sap  vessels  of  the 
inner  bark  shall  exactly  join  those  of  the  plant  into 
which  they  are  grafted,  so  that  the  sap  may  pass  from 
one  into  the  other. 

The  following  are  directions  for  budding)  which  may 
be  performed  at  any  time  from  July  to  September. 

Select  a  smooth  place,  on  the  stock  into  which  you 
are  to  insert  the  bud.  Make  a  horizontal  cut,  across 
the  rind,  through  to  the  firm  wood ;  and  from  the  mid- 
dle of  this,  make  a  slit  downward,  perpendicularly,  an 
inch  or  more  long,  through  to  the  wood.  Raise  the 
bark  of  the  stock,  on  each  side  of  the  perpendicular 
cut,  for  the  admission  of  the  bud,  as  is  shown  in  the 
annexed  engraving,  (Fig.  40.)  Then  take  a  shoot  of 
this  year's  growth,  and  slice  from  it  a  bud,  taking  an 


ON  THJ  PROPAGATION  OF  PLANTS. 


343 


inch  below  and  an  inch  above  it,  and  some  portion  of 
the  wood  under  it.  Then  carefully  slip  off  the  woody 
part,  under  the  bud.  Examine  whether  the  eye  or  gem 
of  the  bud  be  perfect.  If  a  little  hole  appears  in  that 
part,  the  bud  has  lost  its  root,  and  another  must  be  se- 
lected. Insert  the  bud,  so  that  a,  of  the  bud,  shall 
pass  to  a,  of  the  stock  ;  then  6,  of  the  bud,  must  be 
cut  off,  to  match  the  cut,  b,  in  the  stock,  and  fitted  ex- 
actly to  it,  as  it  is  this  alone  which  insures  success. 
Bind  the  parts,  with  fresh  bass,  or  woollen  yarn,  be- 
ginning a  little  below  the  bottom  of  the  perpendicular 
slit,  and  winding  it  closely  round  every  part,  except 
just  over  the  eye  of  the  bud,  until  you  arrive  above 
the  horizontal  cut.  Do  not  bind  it  too  tightly,  but 
just  sufficient  to  exclude  air,  sun,  and  wet.  This  is  to 
.  be  removed,  after  the  bud  is  firmly  fixed,  and  begins 
to  grow. 

Fig.  40. 


Seed-fruit  can  be  budded  into  any  othei  seed-fruit, 
and  stone-fruit  into  any  other  stone-fruit;  but  stone 
and  seed-fruits,  cannot  be  thus  mingled. 


344 


ON  THE  PROPAGATION  OF  PLANTS. 


Rose  bushes  can  have  a  variety  of  kinds  budded  into 
the  same  stock.  Hardy  roots  are  the  best  stocks.  The 
branch  above  the  bud,  must  be  cut  off,  the  next  March 
or  April  after  the  bud  is  put  in.  Apples  and  pears,  are 
more  easily  propagated  by  ingrafting,  than  by  budding 

Ingrafting  is  a  similar  process  to  budding,  with  this 
advantage ;  that  it  can  be  performed  on  large  trees 
whereas  budding  can  be  applied  only  on  small  ones 
The  two  common  kinds  of  ingrafting,  are  whip-grafting, 
and  split-grafting.  The  first  kind  is  for  young  trees, 
and  the  other  for  large  ones. 

The  time  for  ingrafting,  is  from  May  to  October 
The  cuttings  must  be  taken  from  horizontal  shoots,  be- 
tween Christmas  and  March,  and  kept  in  a  damp  cellar. 
In  performing  the  operation,  cut  off,  in  a  sloping  direc 
tion,  (as  seen  in  Fig.  41,)  the  tree  or  limb  to  be  grafted. 

Fig.  41. 


Then  cut  off,  in  a  corresponding  slant,  the  slip  to  be 
grafted  on.     Then  put  them  together,  so  that  the  i 


ON  THE  PROPAGATION  OF  PLANTS. 


345 


bark  of  each  shall  match,  exactly,  on  one  side,  and  tie 
them  firmly  together,  with  woollen  yarn.  It  is  not  es- 
sential that  both  be  of  equal  size ;  if  the  bark  of  each 
meet  together  exactly  on  one  side,  it  answers  the 
purpose.  But  the  two  must  not  differ  much,  in  size. 
The  slope  should  be  an  inch  and  a  half,  or  more,  in 
length.  After  they  are  tied  together,  the  place  should 
be  covered  with  a  salve  or  composition  of  beeswax  and 
rosin.  A  mixture  of  clay  and  cowdung  will  answer  the 
same  purpose.  This  last  must  be  tied  on  with  a  cloth. 
Grafting  is  more  convenient  than  budding,  as  grafts  can 
be  sent  from  a  great  distance ;  whereas  buds  must  be 
taken  in  July  or  August,  from  a  shoot  of  the  present 
year's  growth,  and  cannot  be  sent  to  any  great  distance 

Fig.  42. 


This  engraving,  (Fig.  42,)  exhibits  the  mode  called 
stock-grafting ;  a,  being  the  limb  of  a  large  tree  which 
is  sawed  off  and  split,  and  is  to  be  held  open  by  a  small 
wedge,  till  the  grafts  are  put  in.  A  graft,  inserted  in 
the  limb,  is  shown  at  b,  and  at  c,  is  one  not  inserted,  but 
designed  to  be  put  in  at  d,  as  two  grafts  can  be  put  into 
a  large  stock.  In  inserting  the  graft,  be  careful  to 
make  the  edge  of  the  inner  bark  of  the  graft  meet  ex- 
actly the  edge  of  the  inner  bark  of  the  stock ;  for  on 
this,  success  depends.  After  the  grafts  are  put  in,  the 
wedge  must  be  withdrawn,  and  the  wjiole  of  the  stock 


346       ON  THE  PROPAGATION  OF  PLANTS. 

be  covered  with  the  thick  salve  or  composition  before 
mentioned,  reaching  from  where  the  grafts  are  inserted, 
to  the  bottom  of  the  slit.  Be  careful  not  to  knock  or 
move  the  grafts,  after  they  are  put  in. 

Pruning. 

The  following  rules  for  pruning,  are  from  a  distin- 
guished horticulturist.  Prune  off  all  dead  wood,  and 
all  the  little  twigs  on  the  main  limbs.  Retrench 
branches,  so  as  to  give  light  and  ventilation  to  the  in- 
terior of  the  tree.  Select  the  straight  and  perpen- 
dicular shoots,  which  give  little  or  no  fruit,  while  those 
which  are  most  nearly  horizontal,  and  somewhat  curv- 
ing, give  fruit  abundantly,  and  of  good  quality.  Super- 
fluous and  ill-placed  buds  may  be  rubbed  off,  at  any 
time ;  and  no  buds,  pushing  out  after  Midsummer, 
should  be  spared.  In  choosing  between  shoots  to  be 
retained,  preserve  the  lowest  placed ;  and,  on  lateral 
shoots,  those  which  are  nearest  the  origin.  When 
branches  cross  each  other,  so  as  to  rub,  remove  one  or 
the  other.  Remove  all  suckers  from  the  roots  of  trees 
or  shrubs.  Prune  after  the  sap  is  in  full  circulation, 
(except  in  the  case  of  grapes,)  as  the  wounds  then  heal 
best.  Some  think  it  best  to  prune  before  the  sap  be- 
gins to  run.  Pruning-shears,  and  a  pruning-pole,  with 
a  chisel  at  the  end,  can  be  procured  of  those  who  deal 
in  agricultural  utensils. 

Thinning. 

As  it  is  the  office  of  the  leaves  to  absorb  nourishment 
from  the  atmosphere,  they  should  never  be  removed, 
except  to  mature  the  wood  or  fruit.  In  doing  this,  re- 
move such  leaves  as  shade  the  fruit,  as  soon  as  it  is 
ready  to  ripen.  To  do  it  earlier,  impairs  the  growth. 
Do  it  gradually,  at  two  different  times.  Thinning  the 
fruit  is  important,  as  tending  to  increase  its  size  and 
flavor,  and  also  to  promote  the  longevity  of  the  tree. 
If  the  fruit  be  thickly  set,  take  off  one  half,  at  the  time 
of  setting.  Revise  in  June,  and  then  in  July,  taking 
off  all  that  may  be  spared.  One  very  large  apple  to 


UN    THE    CULTIVATION    OF    FRUIT.  341 

every  square  foot,  is  a  rule  that  may  be  a  sort  of 
guide,  in  other  cases.  According  to  this,  two  hundred 
large  apples  would  be  allowed  to  a  tree,  whose  extent 
is  fifteen  feet  by  twelve.  If  any  person  think  this  thin- 
ning excessive,  let  him  try  two  similar  trees,  and  thin 
one  as  directed,  and  leave  the  other  unthinned.  It  will 
De  found  that  the  thinned  tree  will  produce  an  equal 
weight,  and  fruit  of  much  finer  flavor 


CHAPTER  XXXVI. 

ON   THE    CULTIVATION    OP    FRUIT. 

BY  a  little  attention  to  this  matter,  a  lady,  with  the 
help  of  her  children,  can  obtain  a  rich  abundance  of  all 
kinds  of  fruit.  The  writer  has  resided  in  families; 
where  little  boys,  of  eight,  ten,  and  twelve  years  old, 
amused  themselves,  under  the  direction  of  their  mother, 
in  planting  walnuts,  chestnuts,  and  hazelnuts,  for  future 
time ;  as  well  as  in  planting  and  inoculating  young 
fruit-trees,  of  all  descriptions.  A  mother,  who  will  take 
pains  to  inspire  a  love  for  such  pursuits,  in  her  children, 
and  who  will  aid  and  superintend  them,  will  save  them 
from  many  temptations  ;  and,  at  a  trifling  expense,  se- 
cure to  them  and  herself  a  rich  reward,  in  the  choicest 
fruits.  The  information  given  in  this  work,  on  this 
subject,  may  be  relied  on,  as  sanctioned  by  the  most 
experienced  nursery-men. 

The  soil,  for  a  nursery,  should  be  rich,  well  dug, 
dressed  with  well-decayed  manure,  free  from  weeds, 
and  protected  from  cold  winds.  Fruit  seeds  should  bo 
planted  in  the  Autumn,  an  inch  and  a  half  or  two 
•nches  deep,  in  ridges  four  or  five  feet  apart,  pressing 
the  earth  firmly  over  the  seeds.  While  growing,  they 
should  be  thinned  out,  leaving  the  best  ones  a  foot  and 
a  half  apart.  The  soil  should  be  kept  loose,  soft,  and 
free  from  weeds.  They  should  be  inoculated  or  in- 


348  ON    THE    CULTIVATION    OF    FRUIT. 

grafted,  when  of  the  size  of  a  pipe  stem ;  and  in  a  yeai 
after  this,  may  be  transplanted  to  their  permanent 
stand.  Peach  trees  sometimes  bear  in  two  years  from 
budding,  and  in  four  years  from  planting,  if  well  kept. 

In  a  year  after  transplanting,  take  pains  to  train  the 
head  aright.  Straight,  upright  branches,  produce  gour 
mands,  or  twigs  bearing  only  leaves.  The  side  branches, 
which  are  angular  or  curved,  yield  the  most  fruit.  For 
this  reason,  *he  limbs  should  he  trained  in  curves,  and 
perpendicular  twigs  should  be  cut  off,  if  there  be  need 
of  pruning.  The  last  of  June  is  the  time  for  this. 
Grass  should  never  be  allowed  to  grow  within  four 
feet  of  a  large  tree ;  and  the  soil  should  be  kept  loose; 
to  admit  air  to  the  roots.  Trees  in  orchards  should 
be  twenty-five  feet  apart.  The  soil  under  the  top  soil, 
has  much  to  do  with  the  health  of  trees.  If  it  be  what 
is  called  hard-pan,  the  trees  will  deteriorate.  Trees 
need  to  be  manured,  and  to  have  the  soil  kept  open 
and  free  from  weeds. 

Filberts  can  be  raised  in  any  part  of  this  Country. 
Figs  can  be  raised  in  the  Middle  States.  For  this 
purpose,  in  the  Autumn,  loosen  the  roots,  on  one  side, 
and  bend  the  tree  down  to  the  earth,  on  the  other  ;  then 
cover  it  with  a  mound  of  straw,  earth,  and  boards  ;  and 
early  in  the  Spring  raise  it  up,  and  cover  the  roots. 
Currants  grow  well  in  any  but  a  wet  soil.  They  are 
propagated  by  cuttings.  The  old  wood  should  be 
thinned  in  the  Fall,  and  manure  be  put  on.  They  can 
be  trained  into  small  trees.  Gooseberries  are  propa- 
gated by  layers  and  cuttings.  They  are  best,  when 
kept  from  suckers  and  trained  like  trees.  One  third 
of  the  old  wood  should  be  removed  every  Autumn. 
Raspberries  do  best,  when  shaded  during  a  part  of  the 
day.  They  are  propagated  by  layers,  slips,  and  suckers. 
There  is  qne  kind,  which  bears  monthly.  Strawberries 
require  a  light  soil  and  vegetable  manure.  They 
should  be  transplanted  in  April  or  September,  and  be 
set  eight  inches  apart,  in  rows  nine  inches  asunder,  and 
in  beds  which  are  two  feet  wide,  with  narrow  alleys 


ON    THE    CULTIVATION    OF    FRUIT.  349 

between  them.  A  part  of  these  plants  are  non-bearers 
These  have  large  flowers,  with  showy  stamens  and  high 
black  anthers.  The  bearers  have  short  stamens,  a  great 
number  of  pistils,  and  the  flowers  are  every  way  less 
showy.  In  blossom-time,  pull  out  all  the  non-bearers. 
Some  think  it  best  to  leave  one  non  bearer  to  every 
twelve  bearers ;  but  others  pull  them  ill  out.  Many 
beds  never  produce  any  fruit,  because  all  the  plants  in 
them  are  non-bearers.  Weeds  should  be  kept  from 
the  vines.  When  the  vines  are  matted  with  young 
plants,  the  best  way  is  to  dig  over  the  beds,  in  cross 
lines,  so  as  to  leave  some  of  the  plants  standing  in  little 
squares,  while  the  rest  are  turned  under  the  soil.  This 
should  be  done  over  a  second  time  in  the  same  year. 

Grapes.  To  raise  this  fruit,  manure  the  soil,  and 
keep  it  soft,  and  free  from  weeds.  A  gravelly  or  sandy 
soil,  and  a  south  exposure,  are  best.  Transplant  the 
vines  in  the  early  Spring,  or,  better,  in  the  Fall. 
Prune  them,  the  first  year,  so  as  to  have  only  two  main 
branches,  taking  off  all  other  shoots,  as  fast  as  they 
come.  In  November,  cut  off  all  of  these  two  branches, 
except  four  eyes.  The  second  year,  in  the  Spring, 
loosen  the  earth  around  the  roots,  and  allow  only  two 
branches  to  grow,  and  every  month,  take  off  all  side 
shoots.  When  they  are  very  strong,  preserve  only  a 
part,  and  cut  off  the  rest  in  the  Fall.  In  November, 
cut  off  all  the  two  main  stems,  except  eight  eyes 
After  the  second  year  no  more  pruning  is  needed,  ex 
cept  to  reduce  the  side  shoots,  for  the  purpose  of.  in 
creasing  the  fruit.  All  the  pruning  of  grapes,  (except 
nipping  side  shoots,)  must  be  done  when  the  sap  is  nol 
running,  or  they  will  bleed  to  death.  Train  them  on 
poles,  or  lattices,  to  expose  them  to  the  air  and  sun 
Cover  tender  vines  in  the  Autumn.  Grapes  are  prop- 
agated by  cuttings,  layers,  and  seeds.  For  cuttings,, 
select,  in  the  Autumn,  well-ripened  wood,  of  the  former 
year,  and  take  five  joints  for  each.  Bury  them,  till 
April ;  then  soak  them,  for  some  hours,  and  set  them 
out,  aslant,  so  that  all  the  eyes  but  one  shall  be  covered 

30  D.  E. 


350  ON   THE    CULTIVATION    OF    FRUIT. 

To  Preserve  Fruit. 

Raspberries  and  Strawberries  can  be  preserved,  in 
perfect  flavor,  in  the  following  manner.  Take  a  pound 
of  nice  sifted  sugar  for  each  pound  of  fruit.  Put  them 
in  alternate  layers,  of  fruit  and  sugar,  till  the  jar  is  en- 
tirely full,  then  cork  it,  and  seal  it  air  tight. 

Currants  and  Gooseberries  may  be  perfectly  preserved 
thus.  Gather  them,  when  dry,  selecting  only  the  solid 
ones.  Take  off  the  stalks,  and  put  them  in  dry  junk- 
oottles.  Set  them,  uncorked,  in  a  kettle  of  water,  and 
slowly  raise  it  to  boiling  heat,  in  order  to  drive  the  air 
out  of  the  bottles.  Then  take  out  the  bottles,  cork 
them,  and  seal  them  ah  tight.  Keep  them  in  a  dry 
place,  where  they  will  not  freeze.  The  success  of  this 
method  depends  on  excluding  air  and  water. 

Apples,  Grapes,  and  such  like  fruit  can  be  preserved, 
by  packing  them,  when  dry  and  solid,  in  dry  sand  or 
sawdust,  putting  alternate  layers  of  fruit  and  sawdust 
or  sand.  Some  sawdust  gives  a  bad  flavor  to  the  fruit. 

Modes  of  Preserving  Fruit  Trees. 

Heaps  of  ashes,  or  tanner's  bark,  around  peach  trees, 
prevent  the  attack  of  the  worm.  The  yellows,  is  a  dis- 
ease of  peach  trees,  which  is  spread  by  the  pollen  of  the 
blossom.  When  a  tree  begins  to  turn  yellow,  take  it 
away,  with  all  its  roots,  before  it  blossoms  again,  or  it  will 
infect  other  trees.  Planting  tansy  around  the  roots  of 
fruit  trees,  is  a  sure  protection  against  worms,  as  it  pre- 
vents the  moth  from  depositing  her  egg.  Equal  quanti- 
ties of  salt  and  saltpetre,  put  around  the  trunk  of  a  peach 
tree,  half  a  pound  to  a  tree,  improves  the  size  and  flavor 
of  the  fruit.  Apply  this  about  the  first  of  April,  and  if 
any  trees  have  worms  already  in  them,  put  on  half  the 
quantity,  in  addition,  in  June.  To  young  trees,  just  set 
out,  apply  one  ounce,  in  April,  and  another  in  June, 
close  to  the  stem.  Sandy  soil  is  best  for  peaches. 

Apple  trees  are  preserved  from  insects,  by  a  wash  of 
strong  ley  to  the  body  and  limbs,  which,  if  old,  should 


MISCELLANEOUS    DIRECTIONS.  351 

be  first  scraped.  Caterpillars  should  be  removed,  by 
cutting  down  their  nests  in  a  damp  day.  Boring  a  hole, 
in  a  tree  infested  with  worms,  and  filling  it  with  sulphur, 
will  often  drive  them  off  immediately. 

The  Jire-blight,  or  brulure,  in  pear  trees,  can  be 
stopped,  by  cutting  off  all  the  blighted  branches.  It  is 
supposed,  by  some,  to  be  owing  to  an  excess  of  sap, 
which  is  remedied  by  diminishing  the  roots. 

The  curculio,  which  destroys  plums,  and  other  stone 
fruit,  can  be  checked  only  by  gathering  up  all  the  fruit 
that  falls,  (which  contains  their  eggs,)  and  destroying 
it.  The  canker-worm  can  be  checked,  by  applying  a 
bandage  around  the  body  of  the  tree,  and  every  even- 
ing smearing  it  with  fresh  tar. 


CHAPTER   XXXVII 

MISCELLANEOUS    DIRECTIONS. 

EVERY  woman  should  know  how  to  direct  in  regard 
to  the  proper  care  of  domestic  animals,  as  they  often 
suffer  from  the  negligence  of  domestics. 

The  following  information,  in  reference  to  the  care 
of  a  horse  and  cow,  may  be  useful.  A  stable  should  not 
be  very  light  nor  very  dark  ;  its  floor  should  be  either 
plank  or  soil,  as  brick  or  stone  pavements  injure  the 
feet.  It  should  be  well  cleaned,  every  morning.  A 
norse,  kept  in  a  stable,  should  be  rubbed  and  brushed 
every  day.  A  stable-horse  needs  as  much  daily  exer- 
cise as  trotting  three  miles  will  give  him.  Food  or 
drink  should  never  be  given,  when  a  horse  is  very  warm 
with  exercise,  as  it  causes  disease.  A  horse  should  be 
fed,  three  times  a  day.  Hay,  sheaf-oats,  shorts,  corn- 
meal,  and  bran,  are  the  best  food  for  horses.  When  a 
horse  is  travelling,  order  six  quarts  of  oats  in  the  morn- 
ing, four  at  noon,  and  six  at  night,  and  direct  that 
neither  food  nor  water  be  given  till  he  is  cool. 


352  MISCELLANEOUS    DIRECTIONS. 

Keep  a  horse's  legs  free  from  mud,  or  disease  will 
often  result  from  the  neglect.  A  horse,  much  used, 
should  be  shod  as  often  as  once  in  two  months.  Fish- 
oil  and  strong  perfumes,  on  the  skin,  keep  flies  from 
annoying  a  horse.  Some  horses  are  made  fractious  by 
having  the  check-rein  so  tight  as  to  weary  the  muscles. 

A  cow  should  be  watered  three  times  a  day,  and  fed 
with  hay,  potatoes,  carrots,  and  boiled  corn.  Turnips 
and  cabbages  give  a  bad  taste  to  the  milk.  Give  a 
handful  of  salt  to  a  cow,  twice  a  week,  and  occasionally 
give  the  same  quantity  to  a  horse.  Let  them  drink 
pure  water.  A  well-fed  cow  gives  double  the  milk  that 
she  will  if  not  fed  well.  A  cow  should  go  unmilked, 
for  two  months  before  calving,  and  her  milk  should 
not  be  used  till  four  days  after.  The  calf  must  run 
with  the  cow  for  four  days,  and  then  be  shut  from 
her,  except  thrice  a  day,  when  it  should  take  as  much 
food  as  it  wants,  and  then  the  cow  should  be  milked 
clean. 

Hens  sit  twenty  days,  and  should  be  well  fed  and 
watered,  during  this  time.  The  first  food  for  chickens 
should  be  coarse  dry  meal.  Cold  and  damp  weather  is 
bad  for  all  young  fowls,  and  they  should  be  well  pro- 
tected from  it.  Pepper-berries  are  good  for  fowls  which 
have  diseases  caused  by  damp  and  cold  weather. 

In  Winter,  much  fuel  may  be  saved,  and  comfort 
secured,  by  stuffing  cotton  into  all  cracks  about  the 
windows  and  the  surbases  of  rooms,  and  by  listing  the 
doors.  Cover  strips  of  wood  with  baize,  and  nail  them 
tight  against  a  door,  on  the  casing. 

The  following  are  the  causes  of  smoky  chimneys. 
Short  and  broad  flues,  running  up  straight,  as  a  narrow 
flue,  with  a  bend  in  it,  draws  best.  Large  openings,  at 
the  top,  draw  the  wind  down,  and  should  be  remedied, 
by  having  the  summits  made  tapering.  A  house  higher 
than  a  chimney  near  it,  sometimes  makes  the  chimney 
smoke,  and  the  evil  should  be  remedied,  by  raising  the 
chimney.  Too  large  a  throat  to  the  fireplace,  some- 
times causes  a  chimney  to  smoke,  and  can  be  reme 


MISCELLANEOUS    DIRECTIONS, 


died,  by  a  false  back,  or  by  lowering  the  front,  with 
sheet  iron.  Shallow  fireplaces  give  out  more  heat,  and 
draw  as  well,  as  deep  ones. 

House-cleaning  should  be  done  in  dry  warm  weather. 
Several  friends  of  the  writer  maintain,  that  cleaning 
paint,  and  windows,  and  floors,  in  hard,  cold  water, 
without  any  soap,  using  a  flannel  wash-cloth,  is  much 
better  than  using  warm  suds.  It  is  worth  trying. 
In  cleaning  in  the  common  way,  sponges  are  best  for 
windows,  and  clean  water  only  should  be  used.  They 
should  be  first  wiped  with  linen,  and  then  with  old  silk. 
The  outside  of  windows  should  be  washed  with  a  long 
brush,  made  for  the  purpose ;  and  they  should  be  rinsed, 
by  throwing  upon  them  water,  containing  a  little  salt- 
petre. 

When  inviting  company,  mention,  in  the  note,  the 
day  of  the  month  and  week,  and  the  hour  for  coming. 
Provide  a  place  for  ladies  to  dress  their  hair,  with  a 
glass,  pins,  and  combs.  A  pitcher  of  cold  water,  and  a 
tumbler,  should  be  added.  When  the  company  is  small, 
it  is  becoming  a  common  method  for  the  table  to  be  set 
at  one  end  of  the  room,  the  lady  of  the  house  to  pour 
out  tea,  and  the  gentlemen  of  the  party  to  wait  on 
the  ladies  and  themselves.  When  tea  is  sent  round, 
always  send  a  teapot  of  hot  water  to  weaken  it,  and  a 
slop-bowl,  or  else  many  persons  will  drink  their  tea 
much  stronger  than  they  wish. 

Let  it  ever  be  remembered,  that  the  burning  of  lights 
and  the  breath  of  guests,  are  constantly  exhausting  the 
air  of  its  healthful  principle  ;  therefore  avoid  crowding 
many  guests  into  one  room.  Do  not  tempt  the  palate 
by  a  great  variety  of  unhealthful  dainties.  Have  a 
warm  room  for  departing  guests,  that  they  may  not 
become  chilled  before  they  go  out. 

A  parlor  should  be  furnished  with  candle  and  fire 
screens,  for  those  who  have  weak  eyes ;  and  if,  at  table, 
a  person  sits  with  the  back  near  the  fire,  a  screen  should 
be  hung  on  the  back  of  the  chair,  as  it  is  very  injurious 
to  the  whole  system  to  have  the  back  heated. 

30*  D.  F 


354  MISCELLANEOUS    DIRECTIONS. 

Pretty  baskets,  for  flowers  or  fruits,  on  centre  tables, 
can  be  made  thus.  Knit,  with  coarse  needles,  all  the 
various  shades  of  green  and  brown,  into  a  square  piece. 
Press  it  with  a  hot  iron,  and  then  ravel  it  out.  Buy  a 
pretty  shaped  wicker  basket,  or  make  one  of  stiff  milli- 
net,  or  thin  pasteboard,  cut  the  worsted  into  bunches, 
and  sew  them  on,  to  resemble  moss.  Then  line  the 
basket,  and  set  a  cup  or  dish  of  water  in  it,  to  hold 
flowers,  or  use  it  for  a  fruit-basket.  Handsome  fire- 
boards  are  made,  by  nailing  black  foundation-muslin  to 
a  frame  the  size  of  the  fireplace ;  and  then  cutting  out 
flowers,  from  wall-paper,  and  pasting  them  on  the  mus- 
lin, according  to  the  fancy. 

India  rubber,  melted  in  lamp-oil,  and  brushed  over 
common  shoes,  keeps  water  out,  perfectly.  Keep  small 
whisk  brooms,  wherever  gentlemen  hang  their  clothes, 
both  up  stairs  and  down,  and  get  them  to  use  them  if 
you  can. 

Boil  new  earthen  in  bran-water,  putting  the  articles 
in,  when  cold.  Do  the  same  with  porcelain  kettles. 
Never  leave  wooden  vessels  out  of  doors,  as  they  fall  to 
pieces.  In  Winter,  lift  the  handle  of  a  pump,  and 
cover  it  with  blankets,  to  keep  it  from  freezing. 

Broken  earthen  and  china,  can  often  be  mended,  by 
tying  it  up,  and  boiling  it  in  milk.  Diamond  cement, 
when  genuine,  is  very  effectual  for  the  same  purpose. 
Old  putty  can  be  softened  by  muriatic  acid.  Nail  slats 
across  nursery  windows.  Scatter  ashes  on  slippery  ice, 
at  the  door ;  or  rather,  remove  it.  Clarify  impure 
water  with  powdered  alum,  a  teaspoonful  to  a  barrel 


NOTE.  355* 


NOTE. 

A  volume,  entitled  Miss  Beecher's  Domestic  Receipt  Book,  prepared 
by  the  author  of  this  work,  under  the  supervision  of  several  experi- 
enced housekeepers,  is  designed  as  a  Supplement  to  this  treatise  on 
Domestic  Economy.  The  following  Preface  and  Analysis  of  the  Con- 
tents will  indicate  its  design  more  fully : 

Preface  (for  Miss  Beecher's  Domestic  Receipt  Book.) 

The  following  objects  are  aimed  at  in  this  work : 

First,  to  furnish  an  original  collection  of  receipts,  which  shall  em- 
brace  a  great  variety  of  simple  and  well-cooked  dishes,  designed  for 
e very-day  comfort  and  enjoyment. 

Second,  to  include  in  the  collection  only  such  receipts  as  have  been 
tested  by  superior  housekeepers,  and  warranted  to  be  the  best.  It  is 
not  a  book  made  up  in  any  department  by  copying  from  other  books, 
but  entirely  from  the  experience  of  the  best  practical  housekeepers. 

Third,  to  express  every  receipt  in  language  which  is  short,  simple, 
and  perspicuous,  and  yet  to  give  all  directions  so  minutely  as  that 
the  book  can  be  kept  in  the  kitchen,  and  be  used  by  any  domestic 
who  can  read,  as  a  guide  in  every  one  of  her  employments  in  the 
kitchen. 

Fourth,  to  furnish  such  directions  in  regard  to  small  dinner-parties 
and  evening  company  as  will  enable  any  young  housekeeper  to  per- 
form her  part,  on  such  occasions,  with  ease,  comfort,  and  success. 

Fifth,  to  present  a  good  supply  of  the  rich  and  elegant  dishes  de- 
manded at  such  entertainments,  and  yet  to  set  forth  so  large  and 
tempting  a  variety  of  what  is  safe,  healthful,  and  good,  in  connexion 
with  such  warnings  and  suggestions  as  it  is  hoped  may  avail  to  pro- 
mote a  more  healthful  fashion  in  regard  both  to  entertainments  and 
to  daily  table  supplies.  No  book  of  this  kind  will  sell  without  an  ad- 
equate supply  of  the  rich  articles  which  custom  requires,  and  in  fur- 
nishing them,  the  writer  has  aimed  to  follow  the  example  of  Provi- 
dence, which  scatters  profusely  both  good  and  ill,  and  combines  there- 
with the  caution  alike  of  experience,  revelation,  and  conscience, 
"  choose  ye  that  which  is  good,  that  ye  and  your  seed  may  live." 

Sixth,  in  the  work  on  Domestic  Economy,  together  with  this,  to 
which  it  is  a  Supplement,  the  writer  has  attempted  to  secure,  in  a 
cheap  and  popular  form,  for  American  housekeepers,  a  work  similar 
to  an  English  work  which  she  has  examined,  entitled  the  Encyclopae- 
dia of  Domestic  Economy,  by  Thomas  Webster  and  Mrs.  Parkes,  con- 
taining over  twelve  hundred  octavo  pages  of  closely-printed  matter 
treating  on  every  department  of  Domestic  Economy  ;  a  work  which 
will  be  found  much  more  useful  to  English  women,  who  have  a  plenty 
of  money  and  well-trained  servants,  than  to  American  housekeepers. 
It  is  believed  that  most  in  that  work  which  would  be  of  any  practical 
use  to  American  housekeepers,  will  be  found  in  this  work  and  the 
Domestic  Economy. 

Lastly,  the  writer  has  aimed  to  avoid  the  defects  complained  of  by 
most  housekeepers  in  regard  to  works  of  this  description  issued  in 
this  country,  or  sent  from  England,  such  as  that,  in  some  cases,  the 
receipts  are  so  rich  as  to  be  both  expensive  and  unhealthful ;  in  others, 
that  they  are  so  vaguely  expressed  as  to  be  very  imperfect  guides ;  in 


356*  NOTE. 

others,  that  the  processes  are  so  elaborate  and  fussing  as  to  make 
double  the  work  that  is  needful ;  and  in  others,  that  the  topics  are  so 
limited  that  some  departments  are  entirely  omitted,  and  all  are  in- 
complete. 

In  accomplishing  these  objects,  the  writer  has  received  contribu 
tions  of  the  pen,  and  verbal  communications  from  some  of  the  most 
judicious  and  practical  housekeepers,  in  almost  every  section  of  this 
country. 

The  following  embraces  most  of  the  topics  contained  in  this  work. 

Suggestions  to  young  housekeepers  in  regard  to  style,  furniture, 
and  domestic  arrangements. 

Suggestions  in  regard  to  different  modes  to  be  pursued  both  with 
foreign  and  American  domestics. 

On  providing  a  proper  supply  of  family  stores,  on  the  economical 
care  and  use  of  them,  and  on  the  furniture  and  arrangement  of  a 
store-closet. 

On  providing  a  proper  supply  of  utensils  to  be  used  in  cooking,  with 
drawings  to  illustrate. 

On  the  proper  construction  of  ovens,  and  directions  for  heating 
and  managing  them. 

Directions  for  securing  good  yeast  and  good  bread. 

Advice  in  regard  to  marketing,  the  purchase  of  wood,  &c. 

Receipts  for  breakfast  dishes,  biscuits,  warm  cakes,  tea  cakes,  &c 

Receipts  for  puddings,  cakes,  pies,  preserves,  pickles,  sauces,  cat- 
sups, and  also  for  cooking  all  the  various  kinds  of  meats,  soups,  and 
vegetables. 

The  above  receipts  are  arranged  so  that  the  more  healthful  and  sim- 
ple ones  are  put  in  one  portion,  and  the  richer  ones  in  another. 

Healthful  and  favourite  articles  of  food  for  young  children. 

Receipts  for  a  variety  of  temperance  drinks. 

Directions  for  making  tea,  coffee,  chocolate,  and  other  warm  drinks. 

Directions  for  cutting  up  meats,  and  for  salting  down,  corning,  cu- 
ring, and  smoking. 

Directions  for  making  butter  and  cheese,  as  furnished  by  a  practi- 
cal and  scientific  manufacturer  of  the  same,  of  Goshen,  Conn.,  that 
land  of  rich  butter  and  cheese. 

A  guide  to  a  selection  of  a  regular  course  of  family  dishes,  which 
will  embrace  a  successive  variety,  and  unite  convenience  with  good  taste 
and  comfortable  living. 

Receipts  for  articles  for  the  sick,  and  drawings  of  conveniences  for 
their  comfort  and  relief. 

Receipts  for  articles  for  evening  parties  and  dinner  parties,  with 
drawings  to  show  the  proper  manner  of  setting  tables,  and  of  supply- 
ing and  arranging  dishes,  both  on  these,  and  on  ordinary  occasions. 

An  outline  of  arrangements  for  a  family  in  moderate  circumstances, 
embracing  the  systematic  details  of  work  for  each  domestic,  and  the 
proper  mode  of  doing  it,  as  furnished  by  an  accomplished  housekeeper. 

Remarks  on  the  different  nature  of  food  and  drinks,  and  their  re- 
lation to  the  laws  of  health. 

Suggestions  to  the  domestics  of  a  family,  designed  to  promote  a 
proper  appreciation  of  the  dignity  and  importance  of  their  station,  and 
a  cheerful  and  faithful  performance  of  their  duties. 

Miscellaneous  suggestions  and  receipts. 


A    GLOSSARY 


OP     SUCH     WORDS     AND    PHRASES    AS    MAY    NO1     EASILY    KK 
UNDERSTOOD    BY   THE    YOUNG    READER. 


[Many  words,  not  contained  in  this  GLOSSARY,  will  be  found  ex 
plained  in  the  body  of  the  Work,  in  the  places  where  they  first  occur 
For  these,  see  INDEX.] 

Academy,  the  Boston,  an  association  in  Boston,  established  for  the  pur 
pose  of  promoting  the  study  and  culture  of  the  art  of  music. 

Action  brought  by  the  Commonwealth,  a  prosecution  conducted  in  the 
name  of  the  public,  or  by  the  authority  of  the  State. 

Alcoholic,  made  of,  or  containing,  alcohol,  an  inflammable  liquid, 
which  is  the  basis  of  ardent  spirits. 

Ilkali,  (plural  alkalies,)  a  chemical  substance,  which  has  the  property 
of  combining  with,  and  neutralizing  the  properties  of,  acids,  pro- 
ducing salts  by  the  combination.  Alkalies  change  most  of  the 
vegetable  blues  and  purples  to  green,  red  to  purple,  and  yellow  tc 
brown.  Caustic  alkali,  an  alkali  deprived  of  all  impurities,  being 
thereby  rendered  more  caustic  and  violent  in  its  operation.  This 
term  is  usually  applied  to  pure  potash.  Fixed  alkali,  an  alkali  that 
emits  no  characteristic  smell,  and  cannot  be  volatilized  or  evaporated 
without  great  difficulty.  Potash  and  soda  are  called  the  fixed  alka- 
lies. Soda  is  also  called  a,  fossil,  or  mineral,  alkali,  and  potash,  the 
vegetable  alkali.  Volatile  alkali,  an  elastic,  transparent,  colorless, 
and  consequently  invisible  gas,  known  by  the  name  of  ammonia,  or 
ammoniacal  gas.  The  odor  of  spirits  of  hartshorn  is  caused  by 
this  gas. 

Anglo-American,  English-American,  relating  to  Americans  descended 
from  English  ancestors. 

Anne,  Queen,  a  Queen  of  England,  who  reigned  from  A.  D.  1702,  to 
1714.  She  was  the  daughter  of  James  II.,  and  succeeded  to  the 
throne  on  the  death  of  William  III.  She  died,  August  1, 1714,  in 
the  fiftieth  year  of  her  age.  She  was  not  a  woman  of  very  great 
intellect ;  but  was  deservedly  popular,  throughout  her  reign,  being 
a  model  of  conjugal  and  maternal  duty,  and  always  intending  to  do 
good.  She  was  honored  with  the  title  of  *  Good  Queen  Anne, 
which  showed  the  opinion  entertained  of  her  virtues  by  the  people. 

Anotta,  Annotto,  Arnotta,  or  Rocou,  a  soft,  brownish-red  substance 
prepared  from  the  reddish  pulp  surrounding  the  seeds  of  a  tree 
which  grows  in  the  West  Indies,  Guiana,  and  other  parts  of  South 
America,  called  the  Bixa  orellana.  It  is  used  as  a  dye. 

Anther,  that  part  of  the  stamen  of  a  flower  which  contains  the  pol 
len  or  farina,  a  sort  of  mealy  powder  or  dust,  which  is  necessary 
to  the  production  of  the  flower. 

Anthracite,  one  of  the  most  valuable  kinds  of  mineral  coal,  containing 
no  bitumen.  It  is  very  abundant  in  the  United  States. 

Aperient,  opening. 


356  GLOSSARY. 

Apple-corer,  an  instrument  lately  invented  for  the  purpose  of  divesting 
apples  of  their  cores 

Arabic,  gum,  see  Gum  Arabic. 

Archeology,  a  discourse  or  treatise  on  antiquities. 

Arnotto,  see  Anotta. 

Arrow-root,  a  white  powder,  obtained  from  the  fecula  or  starch  el 
several  species  of  tuberous  plants  in  the  East  and  West  Indies, 
Bermuda,  and  other  places.  That  from  Bermuda  is  most  highly 
esteemed.  It  is  used  as  an  article  for  the  table,  in  the  form  of 
puddings ;  and  also  as  a  highly-nutritive,  easily-digested,  and 
agreeable,  food,  for  invalids.  It  derives  its  name  Irom  having  been 
originally  used  by  the  Indians,  as  a  remedy  for  the  poison  of  their 
arrows,  by  mashing  and  applying  it  to  the  wound. 

Articulating  process,  the  protuberance,  or  projecting  part  of  a  bone, 
by  which  it  is  so  joined  to  another  bone,  as  to  enable  the  two  to 
move  upon  each  other. 

Asceticism,  the  state  of  an  ascetic,  or  hermit,  who  flies  from  society 
and  lives  in  retirement,  or  who  practises  a  greater  degree  of  morti- 
fication and  austerity  than  others  do,  or  who  inflicts  extraordinary 
severities  upon  himself. 

istral  lamp,  a  lamp,  the  principle  of  which  was  invented  by  Benja- 
min Thompson,  (a  native  of  Massachusetts,  and  afterwards  Count 
Rumford,)  in  which  the  oil  is  contained  in  a  large  horizontal  ring, 
having,  at  the  centre,  a  burner,  which  communicates  with  the  ring 
by  tubes.  The  ring  is  placed  a  little  below  the  level  of  the  flame, 
and,  from  its  large  surface,  affords  a  supply  of  oil  for  many  hours. 

Astute,  shrewd. 

Auld  Robin  Gray,  a  celebrated  Scotch  song,  in  which  a  young  woman 
laments  her  having  married  an  old  rich  man,  whom  she  did  not 
love,  for  the  sake  of  providing  for  her  poor  parents. 

Auricles,  (from  a  Latin  word,  signifying  the  ear,)  the  name  given  to 
two  appendages  of  the  heart,  from  their  fancied  resemblance  to 
the  ear. 

Baglivi,  (George,)  an  eminent  physician,  who  was  born  at  Ragusa, 
in  1668,  and  was  educated  at  Naples  and  Paris.  Pope  Clement 
XIV.,  on  the  ground  of  his  great  merit,  appointed  him,  while  a 
very  young  man,  Professor  of  Anatomy  and  Surgery  in  the  Col- 
lege of  Sapienza,  at  Rome.  He  wrote  several  works,  and  did  much 
to  promote  the  cause  of  medical  science.  He  died,  A.  D.  1706. 

Bass,  or  bass  wood,  a  large  forest  tree  of  America,  sometimes  called 
the  lime-tree.  The  wood  is  white  and  soft,  and  the  bark  is  some- 
times used  for  bandages,  as  mentioned  in  page  343. 

Beau  Nash,  see  Nash. 

Bett,  Sir  Charles,  a  celebrated  surgeon,  who  was  born  in  Edinburgh, 
in  the  year  1778.  He  commenced  his  career  in  London,  in  1806, 
as  a  lecturer  on  Anatomy  and  Surgery.  In  1830,  he  received  the 
honors  of  knighthood,  and  in  1836  was  appointed  Professor  of  Sur- 
gery in  the  College  of  Edinburgh.  He  died  near  Worcester,  in 
England,  April  29,  1842.  His  writings  are  very  numerous,  and 
have  been  much  celebrated.  Among  the  most  important  of  these, 
to  general  readers,  are,  his  Illustrations  of  Paley's  Natural  Theol 
ogy,  (which  work  forms  the  second  and  third  volumes  of  the  larger 
series  of  '  THE  SCHOOL  LIBRARV.'  issued  by  the  Publishers  of  this 
volume,)  and  his  treatise  on  'The  Hand,  its  Mechanism,  and 
Vital  Endowments,  as  etrincirg  Design.' 


GLOSSARY.  357 

Bergamot,  a  fruit,   which  was  originally  produced  by  ingrafting  a 

branch  of  a  citron  or  lemon  tree,  upon  the  stock  of  a  peculiar  kind 

of  pear,  called  the  bergainot  pear. 

Biased,  cut  diagonally  from  one  corner  to  another  of  a  square  or  rect- 
angular piece  of  cloth.     Bias  pieces,  triangular  pieces  cut  as  above 

mentioned. 
Bituminous,  containing  bitumen,  which  is  an  inflammable  mineral 

substance,  resembling   tar  or   pitch  in   its    properties  and   uses. 

Among  different  bituminous  substances,  the  names  naphtha  and 

petroleum  have  been  given  to  those  which  are  fluid  j  maltha,  to 

that  which  has  the  consistence  of  pitch;  and  asphaltum,  to  that 

which  is  solid. 
Blight,  a  disease  in  plants,  by  which  they  are  blasted,  or  prevented 

from  producing  fruit. 
Blond  lace,  lace  made  of  silk. 
Blood  heat,  the  temperature  which  the  blood  is  always  found  to  main 

tain,  or  ninety-eight  degrees  of  Fahrenheit's  thermometer. 
Blue  vitriol,  sulphate  of  copper.     See  Sulphate. 
Blunts,  needles  of  a  short  and  thick  shape,  distinguished  from  Sharps, 

which  are  long  and  slender. 

Backing,  a  kind  of  thin  carpeting,  or  coarse  baize. 
Boston  Academy,  see  Academy. 
Botany,  (trom  a  Greek  word,  signifying  an  herb,)  a  knowledge  of 

plants ;  the  science  which  treats  of  plants. 
Brazil  wood,  the  central  part,  or  heart,  of  a  large  tree  which  grows  in 

Brazil,  called  the  Ccesalpinia  echinata.    It  produces  very  lively  and 

beautiful  red  tints,  but  they  are  not  permanent. 
Bronze,  a  metallic  composition,  consisting  of  copper  and  tin. 
Br&lure,  a  French  term,  denoting  a  burning  or  scalding ;  a  blasting 

of  plants. 

Brussels,  (carpet,)  a  kind  of  carpeting,  so  called  from  the  city  of  Brus- 
sels, in  Europe.    Its  basis  is  composed  of  a  warp  and  woof  of  strong 

linen  threads,  with  the  warp  of  which  are  intermixed  about  five 

times  the  quantity  of  woollen  threads,  of  different  colors. 
Bulb,  a  root  with  a  round  body,  like  the  onion,  turnip,  or  hyacinth 

Bulbous,  having  a  bulb. 
Byron,  (George  Gordon,)  Lord,  a  celebrated  Poet,  who  was  born  in 

London,  January  22,  1788,  and  died  in  Missolonghi,  in  Greece. 

April  18  1824. 

Calisthenics,  see  page  56,  note. 
Camwood,  a  dyewood,  procured  from  a  leguminous  (or  pod-bearing) 

tree,  growing  on  the  Western  Coast  of  Africa,  and  called  Baphia 

nitida. 
Cankerworm,  a  worm  which  is  very  destructive  to  trees  and  plants. 

It  springs  from  an  egg  deposited  by  a  miller  that  issues  from  the 

ground,  and  in  some  years  destroys  the  leaves  and  fruit  of  apple 

and  other  trees. 
Carbon,  a  simple  inflammable  body,  forming  the  principal  part  of  wooa 

and  coal,  and  the  whole  of  the  diamond. 
Carbonic  acid,  a  compound  gas,  consisting  of  carbon  and  oxygen.     It 

has  lately  been  obtained  in  a  solid  form. 
Carmine,  a  crimson  color,  the  most  beautiful  of  all  the  reds.    It  is 

prepared  from  a  decoction  of  the  powdered  cochineal  insect,  to 

which  alum  and  other  substances  are  added. 


356  GLOSSARY. 

Caster,  a  small  phial  or  vessel  for  the  table,  in  which  to  put  vinegar, 
mustard,  pepper,  &c. 

Chancellor  of  the  Exchequer,  the  highest  judge  of  the  law;  the  prin- 
cipal financial  minister  of  a  government,  and  the  one  who  manages 
its  revenue. 

Chateau,  a  castle,  a  mansion. 

Chemistry,  the  science  which  treats  of  the  elementary  constituents  of 
bodies. 

Chinese  belle,  deformities  of.  In  China,  it  is  the  fashion  to  compress 
the  feet  of  female  infants,  to  prevent  their  growth ;  in  consequence 
of  which,  the  feet  of  all  the  females  of  China  are  distorted,  and  so 
small,  that  the  individuals  cannot  walk  with  ease. 

Chloride,  a  compound  of  chlorine  and  some  other  substance.  Chlorine 
is  a  simple  substance,  formerly  called  oxymuriatic  acid.  In  its 
pure  state,  it  is  a  gas,  of  green  color,  (hence  its  name,  from  a  Greek 
word,  signifying  green.)  Like  oxygen,  it  supports  the  combustion 
of  some  inflammable  substances.  Chloride  of  lime  is  a  compound  ol 
chlorine  and  lime. 

Cholera  infantum,  a  bowel  complaint,  to  which  infants  are  subject. 

Chyle,  a  white  juice,  formed  from  the  chyme,  and  consisting  of  the 
finer  and  more  nutritious  parts  of  the  food.  It  is  afterwards  con- 
verted into  blood. 

Chyme,  the  result  of  the  first  process  which  food  undergoes  in  the 
stomach,  previously  to  its  being  converted  into  chyle. 

Cicuta,  the  common  American  Hemlock,  an  annual  plant  of  four  or 
five  feet  in  height,  and  found  commonly  along  walls  and  fences, 
and  about  old  ruins  and  buildings.  It  is  a  virulent  poison,  as  well  as 
one  of  the  most  important  and  valuable  medicinal  vegetables.  It  is 
a  very  different  plant  from  the  Hemlock  tree,  or  Pinus  Canadensis. 

Clarke,  (Sir  Charles  Mansfield,)  Dr.,  a  distinguished  English  physi 
cian  and  surgeon,  who  was  born  in  London,  May  28,  1782.  He 
was  appointed  Physician  to  Queen  Adelaide,  wife  of  King  William 
IV.,  in  1830,  and  in  1831,  he  was  created  a  baronet.  He  is  the 
author  of  several  valuable  medical  works. 

Cobalt,  a  brittle  metal,  of  a  reddish- gray  color  and  weak  metallic  lus- 
tre, used  in  coloring  glass.  It  is  not  easily  melted  nor  oxidized  in 
the  air. 

Cochineal,  a  color  procured  from  the  cochineal  insect,  (or  Coccus  cacti,) 
which  feeds  upon  the  leaves  of  several  species  of  the  plant  called 
cactus,  and  which  is  supposed  to  derive  its  coloring  matter  from  its 
food.  Its  natural  color  is  crimson  ;  but  by  the  addition  of  a  prepara 
tion  of  potash,  it  yields  a  rich  scarlet  dye. 

Cologne  water,  a  fragrant  perfume,  which  derives  its  name  from  hav- 
ing been  originally  made  in  the  city  of  Cologne,  which  is  situated 
on  the  River  Rhine,  in  Germany.  The  best  kind  is  still  procured 
from  that  city. 

Comparative  anatomy,  the  science  which  has  for  its  object  a  compari- 
son of  the  anatomy,  structure,  and  functions,  of  the  various  organs 
of  animals,  plants,  &c.,  with  those  of  the  human  body. 

Confection,  a  sweetmeat ;  a  preparation  of  fruit  with  sugar  j  also  a 
preparation  of  medicine  with  honey,  sirup,  or  similar  saccharine  sub- 
stance, for"  the  purpose  of  disguising  the  unpleasant  taste  of  the 
medicine. 

Cooper,  Sir  rfstley  Paston,  a  celebrated  English  surgeon,  who  was 
born  at  Brooke,  in  Norfolk  county,  England,  August  23,  1768,  and 


GLOSSARY.         .  359 

commenced  the  practice  of  Surgery  in  London,  in  1792.  He  was 
appointed  Surgeon  to  King  George  IV.,  in  1827,  was  created  a 
baronet  in  1821,  and  died  February  12, 1841.  He  was  the  author 
of  many  valuable  works. 

Copal,  a  hard,  shining,  transparent  resin,  of  a  light  citron  color, 
brought,  originally,  from  Spanish  America,  and  now  almost  wholly 
from  the  East  Indies.  It  is  principally  employed  in  the  preparation 
of  copal  varnish. 

Copper ,  sulphate  of,  see  Sulphate  of  copper. 

Copperas,  (sulphate  of  iron,  or  green  vitriol,)  a  bright  green  mineral 
substance,  formed  by  the  decomposition  of  a  peculiar  ore  of  iron, 
called  pyrites,  which  is  a  sulphuret  of  iron.  It  is  first  in  the 
form  of  a  greenish-white  powder,  or  crust,  which  is  dissolved 
in  water,  and  beautiful  green  crystals  of  copperas  are  obtained  by 
evaporation.  It  is  principally  used  in  dyeing,  and  in  making  black 
ink.  Its  solution,  mixed  with  a  decoction  of  oak  bark,  produces  a 
black  color. 

Coronary,  relating  to  a  crown  or  garland.  In  anatomy,  it  is  applied 
to  arteries  which  encompass  the  heart,  in  the  manner,  as  it  is  fan- 
cied, of  a  garland. 

Corrosive  sublimate,  a  poisonous  substance,  composed  of  chlorine  and 
quicksilver. 

Cosmetics,  preparations  which  some  people  foolishly  think  will  pre- 
serve and  beautify  the  skin. 

Cream  of  tartar,  see  Tartar.     , 

Crimping-iron,  an  instrument  for  crimping  or  curling  ruffles,  &c. 

Curculio,  a  weevil  or  worm,  which  affects  the  fruit  of  the  plum  tree, 
and  sometimes  that  of  the  apple  tree,  causing  the  unripe  fruit  to  fall 
to  the  ground. 

Curvature  of  the  spine,  see  pages  80,  81. 

Cuvier,  Baron,  the  most  eminent  naturalist  of  the  present  age,  was 
born,  A.  D.  1769,  and  died,  A.  D.  1832.  He  was  Professor  of  Nat- 
ural History  in  the  College  of  France,  and  held  various  important 
posts  under  the  French  Government,  at  different  times.  His  works 
on  Natural  History  are  of  the  greatest  value. 

Cynosure,  the  star  near  the  North  Pole,  by  which  sailors  steer.  It 
is  used,  in  a  figurative  sense,  as  synonymous  with  pole-star,  or 
guide. 

De  Tocqueville,  see  Tocqueville. 

Diamond  cement,  a  cement  sold  in  the  shops,  and  used  for  mending 
broken  glass,  and  similar  articles. 

Drab,  a  thick  woollen  cloth,  of  a  light  brown  or  dun  color.  The 
name  is  sometimes  used  for  the  color  itself. 

Dredging-boz,  a  box  with  holes  in  the  top,  used  to  sift  or  scatter  flour 
on  meat,  when  roasting. 

Drill,  (in  husbandry,)  to  sow  grain  in  rows,  drills,  or  channels;  the 
row  of  grain  so  sowed. 

Duchess  of  Orleans,  see  Orleans. 

The  East,  and  the  Eastern  States,  those  of  the  United  States  sit- 
uated in  the  north-east  part  of  the  Country,  including  Maine, 
New  Hampshire,  Massachusetts,  Rhode  Island,  Connecticut,  and 
Vermont. 

Electuary,  a  mixture,  consisting  of  medicinal  substances,  especially  dry 
powders,  combined  with  honey  or  sirup,  in  order  to  render  them 
less  unpleasant  to  the  taste,  and  more  convenient  for  internal  use 
31 


360  GLOSSARY. 

Elevation,  (of  a  house,)  a  plan,  representing  the  upright  view  of  i 
house,  as  a  ground-plan  shows  its  appearance  on  the  ground. 

Euclid,  a  celebrated  mathematician,  who  was  born  in  Alexandria,  in 
Egypt,  about  two  hundred  and  eighty  years  before  Christ.  He  dis- 
tinguished himself  by  his  writings  on  music  and  geometry.  The 
most  celebrated  of  his  works,  is  his  *  Elements  of  Geometry,'  which 
is  in  use  at  the  present  day.  He  established  a  school  at  Alexandria, 
which  became  so  famous,  that,  from  his  time  to  the  conquest  of 
Alexandria  by  the  Saracens,  (A.  D.  646,)  no  mathematician  was 
found,  who  had  not  studied  at  Alexandria.  Ptolemy,  King  of 
Egypt,  was  one  of  his  pupils ;  and  it  was  to  a  question  of  this 
King,  whether  there  were  not  a  shorter  way  of  coming  at  Geom- 
etry, than  by  the  study  of  his  Elements,  that  Euclid  made  the 
celebrated  answer,  "There  is  no  royal  way,  or  path,  to  Geometry." 

Equator,  or  equinoctial  line,  an  imaginary  line  passing  round  the 
earth,  from  east  to  west,  and  directly  under  the  sun,  which  always 
shines  nearly  perpendicularly  down  upon  all  countries  situated  near 
the  equator. 

Evolve,  to  throw  off,  to  discharge. 

Exchequer,  a  court  in  England,  in  which  the  Chancellor  presides,  and 
where  the  revenues  of,  and  debts  due  to,  the  King  are  recovered. 
This  court  was  originally  established  by  King  "William,  (called  *  the 
Conqueror,')  who  died  A.  D.  1087 ;  and  its  name  is  derived  from  P 
checkered  cloth,  (French  echiquier,  a  chess-board,  checker-work,) 
on  the  table. 

Excretion,  something  discharged  from  the  body,  a  separation  of  anima, 
matters. 

Excrementitious,  consisting  of  matter  excreted  from  the  body  ;  contain- 
ing excrements. 

Fahrenheit,  (Gabriel  Daniel,)  a  celebrated  natural  philosopher,  who 
was  born  at  Dantzic,  A.  D.  1686.  He  made  great  improvements 
in  the  thermometer ;  and  his  name  is  sometimes  used  for  that  in- 
strument. 

Farinaceous,  mealy,  tasting  like  meal. 

To  Fellj  to  turn  down,  on  the  wrong  side,  the  raw  edges  of  a  seam, 
after  it  has  been  stitched,  run,  or  sewed,  and  then  to  hem  or  sew 
it  to  the  cloth. 

Festivals,  of  the  Jews,  the  three  great  annual.  These  were,  the  Feast 
of  the  Passover,  that  of  Pentecost,  and  that  of  Tabernacles  ;  on  oc- 
casion of  which,  all  the  males  of  the  Nation  were  required  to  visit 
the  Temple  at  Jerusalem,  in  whatever  part  of  the  Country  they 
might  reside.  See  Exodus  xxiii.  14, 17,  xxxiv.  23,  Leviticus  xxiii. 
4,  Deuteronomy  xvi.  16.  The  Passover  was  kept  in  commemoration 
of  the  deliverance  of  the  Israelites  from  Egypt,  and  was  so  named, 
because,  the  night  before  their  departure,  the  destroying  angel, 
who  slew  all  the  first-born  of  the  Egyptians,  passed  over  the  houses 
of  the  Israelites,  without  entering  them.  See  Exodus  xii.  The 
Feast  of  Pentecost  was  so  called,  from  a  word  meaning  the  fiftieth, 
because  it  was  celebrated  on  the  fiftieth  day  after  the  Passover,  and 
was  instituted  in  commemoration  of  the  giving  of  the  Law  from 
Mount  Sinai,  on  the  fiftieth  day  from  the  departure  out  of  Egypt. 
It  is  also  called  the  Feast  of  Weeks,  because  it  was  kept  seven 
weoks  after  the  Passover.  See  Exodus  xxxiv.  22,  Leviticus  xxiii, 
15—21,  Deuteronomy  xvi.  9,  10.  The  Feast  of  Tabernacles,  or 
Feast  of  Tents,  was  so  called,  because  it  was  celebrated  under  tentar 
or  tabernacles  of  green  boughs ;  and  was  designed  to  commemorate 


GLOSSARY.  361 

their  dwelling  in  tents,  during  their  passage  through  the  wilderness. 
At  this  Feast,  they  also  returned  thanks  to  God,  for  the  fruits  of  the 
earth,  after  they  had  been  gathered.  See  Exodus  xxiii.  16,  Leviti 
cus  xxiii.  34 — 44,  Deuteronomy  xvi.  13,  and  also  St.  John  vii.  2. 

Fire  blight,  a  disease  in  the  pear,  and  some  other  fruit  trees,  in  which 
they  appear  burnt,  as  if  by  fire.  It  is  supposed  by  some,  to  be 
caused  by  an  insect :  other's  suppose  it  to  be  caused  by  an  over- 
abundance of  sap. 

Fluting-iron,  an  instrument  for  making  flutes,  channels,  furrows,  01 
hollows,  in  ruffles,  &c. 

Foundation  muslin,  a  nice  kind  of  buckram,  stiff  and  white,  used  foi 
the  foundation  or  basis  of  bonnets,  &c. 

Free  States,  those  States  in  which  slavery  is  not  allowed,  as  distin- 
guished from  Slave  States,  in  which  slavery  does  exist. 

French  chalk,  a  variety  of  the  mineral  called  talc,  unctuous  to  the 
touch,  of  a  greenish  color,  glossy,  soft,  and  easily  scratched,  and 
leaving  a  silvery  line,  when  drawn  on  paper.  It  is  used  for  mark 
ing  on  cloth,  and  extracting  grease-spots. 

Fuller's  earth,  a  species  of  clay,  remarkable  for  its  property  of  ab- 
sorbing oil ;  for  which  reason  it  is  valuable  for  extracting  grease 
from  cloth,  &c.  It  is  used  by  fullers,  in  scouring  and  cleansing 
cloth,  whence  its  name. 

Fustic,  the  wood  of  a  tree  which  grows  in  the  West  Indies,  called 
Morus  tinctoria.  It  affords  a  durable,  but  not  very  brilliant,  yellow 
dye,  and  is  also  used  in  producing  some  greens  and  drab  colors. 

Gastric,  (from  the  Greek  yaar?^,  gaster,  the  belly,)  belonging  or  re- 
lating to  the  belly,  or  stomach.  Gastric  juice,  the  fluid  which  dis- 
solves the  food  in  the  stomach.  It  is  limpid,  like  water,  of  a  saltish 
taste,  and  without  odor. 

Geology,  the  science  which  treats  of  the  earth,  as  composed  of  rocks 
and  stones. 

Gore,  a  triangular  piece  of  cloth.     Goring,  cut  in  a  triangular  shape. 

Gothic,  a  peculiar  and  strongly -marked  style  of  architecture,  some- 
times called  the  ecclesiastical  style,  because  it  is  most  frequently 
used  in  cathedrals,  churches,  abbeys,  and  other  religious  edifices. 
Its  principle  seems  to  have  originated  in  the  imitation  of  groves 
and  bowers,  under  which  the  ancients  performed  their  sacred 
rites ;  its  clustered  pillars  and  pointed  arches  very  well  represent- 
ing the  trunks  of  trees  and  their  interlocking  branches. 

Gourmand,  or  Gormand,  a  glutton,  a  greedy  eater.  In  agriculture,  it 
is  applied  to  twigs  which  take  up  the  sap,  but  bear  only  leaves. 

Green  vitriol,  see  Copperas. 

Griddle,  an  iron  pan,  of  a  peculiarly  broad  and  shallow  construction, 

used  for  baking  cakes. 

jrround-plan,  the  map  or  plan  of  the  lower  floor  of  any  building,  in 
which  the  various  apartments,  windows,  doors,  fireplaces,  and 
other  things,  are  represented,  like  the  rivers,  towns,  mountains, 
roads,  &c.,  on  a  map. 

'Hum  Arabic,  a  vegetable  juice  which  exudes  through  the  bark  of  the 
Icacia,  Mimosa  nilotica,  and  some  other  similar  trees,  growing  in 
Arabia,  Egypt,  Senegal,  and  Central  Africa  It  is  the  purest  of  all 
gums. 

Hardpan,  the  hard,  unbroken  layer  of  earth,  below  the  mould  or  cul- 
tivated soil. 

Hartshorn,  (spirits  of,)  a  volatile  alkali,  originally  prepared  from  th« 

D.  E 


362  GLOSSARY. 

horns  of  the  stag  or  hart,  but  now  procured  from  various  otner 
substances.  It  is  known  by  the  name  of  ammonia,  or  spiri'-s  oi 
ammonia. 

Hemlock,  see  Cicuta. 

Horticulturist,  one  skilled  in  horticulture,  or  the  art  of  cultivating 
gardens ,  horticulture  being  to  the  garden,  what  agriculture  is  to 
the  farm,  the  application  of  labor  and  science  to  a  limited  spot, 
for  convenience,  for  profit,  or  for  ornament, — though  implying  a 
higher  state  of  cultivation,  than  is  common  in  agriculture.  It  in- 
cludes the  cultivation  of  culinary  vegetables  and  of  fruits,  and 
forcing  or  exotic  gardening,  as  far  as  respects  useful  products. 

Hoskin's  gloves,  gloves  made  by  a  person  named  Hoskin,  whose 
manufacture  was  formerly  much  celebrated. 

Hydrogen,  a  very  light,  inflammable  gas,  of  which  water  is,  in  parl, 
composed.  It  is  used  to  inflate  balloons. 

Hypochondriasis,  melancholy,  dejection,  a  disorde/  of  the  imagination, 
in  which  the  person  supposes  he  is  afflicted  with  various  diseases. 

Hysteritt,  or  hysterics,  a  spasmodic,  convulsive  affection  of  the  nerves, 

*  to  which  women  are  subject.  It  is  somewhat  similar  to  hypochon- 
driasis  in  men. 

Ingrain,  a  kind  of  carpeting,  in  which  the  threads  are  dyed  in  the 
grain,  or  raw  material,  before  manufacture. 

Ipecac,  (an  abbreviation  of  ipecacuanha,)  an  Indian  medicinal  plant, 
acting  as  an  emetic. 

Isinglass,  a  fine  kind  of  gelatin,  or  glue,  prepared  from  the  swimming- 
'?>»dders  of  fishes,  used  as  a  cement,  and  also  as  an  ingredient  in 
Ood  and  medicine.  The  name  is  sometimes  applied  to  a  trans 
^ftrent  mineral  substance  called  mica. 

wmtschadales,  inhabitants  of  Kamtschatka,  a  large  peninsula  situ- 
•  ted  on  the  northeastern  coast  of  Asia,  having  the  North  Pacific 
Ocean  on  the  east.  It  is  remarkable  for  its  extreme  cold,  which  is 
Jxeightened  by  a  range  of  very  lofty  mountains,  extending  the 
^•vhole  length  of  the  peninsula,  several  of  which  are  volcanic.  It 
•A  very  deficient  in  vegetable  productions,  but  produces  a  great 
variety  of  animals,  from  which  the  richest  and  most  valuable  furs 
are  procured.  The  inhabitants  are  in  general  below  the  common 
height,  but  have  broad  shoulders  and  large  heads.  It  is  under  the 
dominion  of  Russia. 

Kink,  a  knotty  twist  in  a  thread  or  rope. 

Lapland,  a  country  at  the  extreme  north  part  of  Europe,  where  it  is 
very  cold.  It  contains  lofty  mountains,  some  of  which  are  covered 
with  perpetual  snow  and  ice. 

Latin,  the  language  of  the  Latins,  or  inhabitants  of  Latium,  the  principal 
country  of  ancient  Italy.  After  the  building  of  Rome,  that  city 
became  the  capital  of  the  whole  country. 

Leguminous,  pod-bearing. 

Lent,  a  fast  of  the  Christian  Church,  (lasting  forty  days,  from  Ash 
Wednesday  to  Easter,)  in  commemoration  of  our  Saviour's  miracu 
lous  fast  of  forty  days  and  forty  nights,  in  the  wilderness.  The 
word  Lent  means  spring ;  this  fast  always  occurring  at  that  season 
of  the  year. 

Levite,  one  of  the  tribe  of  Levi,  the  son  of  Jacob,  which  tribe  was  set 
apart  from  the  others,  to  minister  in  the  services  of  the  Tabernacle, 
and  the  Temple  at  Jerusalem.  The  Priests  were  taken  from  this 
tribe.  See  Numbers  i. 


GLOSSARY.  363 

Ley,  water  which  has  percolated  through  ashes,  earth,  or  other  sub- 
stances, dissolving  and  imbibing  a  part  of  their  contents.  It  ia 
generally  spelled  Tie,  or  lye. 

Linnceus,  (Charles,)  a  native  of  Sweden,  and  the  most  celebrated 
naturalist  of  his  age.  He  was  born  May  13,  1707,  and  died  Janu- 
ary 11,  1778.  His  life  was  devoted  to  the  study  of  natural  history. 
The  science  of  botany,  in  particular,  is  greatly  indebted  to  his  la- 
bors. His  '  rfmcenitates  Academics1  (Academical  Recreations)  is  a 
collection  of  the  dissertations  of  his  pupils,  edited  by  himself;  a 
work  rich  in  matters  relating  to  the  history  and  habits  of  plants. 
He  was  the  first  who  arranged  Natural  History  into  a  regular  sys- 
tem, which  has  been  generally  called  by  his  name.  His  proper 
name  was  Linne. 

Lobe,  a  division,  a  distinct  part;  generally  applied  to  the  two  divisions 
of  the  lungs. 

Log  Cabin,  a  cabin  or  house  built  of  logs,  as  is  generally  the  case  in 
newly-settled  countries. 

Loire,  the  largest  river  of  France,  being  about  five  hundred  and  fifty 
miles  in  length.  It  rises  in  the  mountains  of  Cevennes,  and  empties 
into  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  about  forty  miles  below  the  city  of  Nantes. 
It  divides  France  into  two  almost  equal  parts. 

London  Medical  Society,  a  distinguished  association,  formed  in  1773. 
It  has  published  some  valuable  volumes  of  its  Transactions.  It  has 
a  library,  of  about  40,000  volumes,  which  is  kept  in  a  house  pre- 
sented to  the  Society,  in  1788,  by  the  celebrated  Dr.  Lettsom,  who 
was  one  of  its  first  members. 

Louis  XIV.,  a  celebrated  King  of  France  and  Navarre,  who  was  born 
Sept.  5, 1638,  and  died  Sept.  1, 1715.  His  mother  having  before  had 
no  children,  though  she  had  been  married  twenty-two  years,  his  birth 
was  considered  as  a  particular  favor  from  heaven,  and  he  was  called 
the  '  Gift  of  God.'  He  is  sometimes  styled  '  Louis  the  Great,'  and 
his  reign  is  celebrated  as  an  era  of  magnificence  and  learning,  and 
is  notorious  as  a  period  of  licentiousness.  He  left  behind  him 
monuments  of  unprecedented  splendor  and  expense,  consisting  of 
palaces,  gardens,  and  other  like  works. 

Lumbar,  (from  the  Latin  lumbus,  the  loin,)  relating  or  pertaining  to 
the  loins. 

Lunacy,  writ  of,  a  judicial  proceeding,  to  ascertain  whether  a  person 
be  a  lunatic. 

Mademoiselle,  the  French  word  for  Miss,  a  young  girl. 

Magnesia,  a  light  and  white  alkaline  earth,  which  enters  into  the 
composition  of  many  rocks,  communicating  to  them  a  greasy  or 
soapy  feeling,  and  a  striped  texture,  with  sometimes  a  greenish 
color. 

Malaria,  (Italian,  mal'aria,  bad  air,)  a  noxious  vapor  or  exhalation ;  a 
state  of  the  atmosphere  or  soil,  or  both,  which,  in  certain  regions, 
and  in  warm  weather,  produces  fever,  sometimes  of  great  violence. 

Mammon,  riches,  the  Syrian  god  of  riches.  See  St.  Luke,  xvi.  11, 
13,  St.  Matthew,  vi.  24. 

Martineau,  (Harriet,)  a  woman  who  has  become  somewhat  celebrated 
by  her  book  of  travels  in  the  United  States,  and  by  other  works. 

Mexico,  a  countiy  situated  southwest  of  the  United  States,  and  ex 
tending  to  the  Pacific  Ocean. 

Miasms,  such  particles  or  atoms,  as  are  supposed  to  arise  from  dis 
tempered,  putrefying,  or  poisonous  bodies. 


364  GLOSSARY. 

Michilimackinac,  or  Mackinac,  (now  frequently  corrupted  into  Mack 
inaw,  which  is  the  usual  pronunciation  of  the  name,)  a  military 
post  in  the  State  of  Michigan,  situated  upon  an  island  about  nine 
miles  in  circuit,  in  the  strait  which  connects  Lakes  Michigan  and 
Huron.  It  is  much  resorted  to  by  Indians  and  fur  traders.  The 
highest  summit  of  the  island  is  about  three  hundred  feet  above  the 
lakes,  and  commands  an  extensive  view  of  them. 

Midsummer,  with  us,  the  time  when  the  sun  arrives  at  his  greatest 
distance  from  the  equator,  or  about  the  twenty -first  of  June, 
called,  also,  the  summer  solstice,  (from  the  Latin  sol,  the  sun, 
and  sto,  to  stop  or  stand  still,)  because,  when  the  sun  reaches 
this  point,  he  seems  to  stand  still  for  some  time,  and  then  ap- 
pears to  retrace  his  steps.  The  days  are  then  longer  than  at 
any  other  time. 

Migrate,  to  remove  from  one  place  to  another;  to  change  residence. 

Mildew,  a  disease  of  plants ;  a  mould,  spot,  or  stain,  in  paper,  cloths, 
&c.,  caused  by  moisture. 

Militate,  to  oppose,  to  operate  against. 

Millinct,  a  coarse  kind  of  stiff  muslin,  formerly  used  for  the  founda- 
tion or  basis  of  bonnets,  &c. 

Mineralogy,  a  science  which  treats  of  the  inorganic  natural  substances 
found  upon  or  in  the  earth,  such  as  earths,  salts,  metals,  <fec.,  and 
which  are  called  by  the  general  name  of  minerals. 

Minutiae,  the  smallest  particulars. 

Monasticism,  monastic  life ;  religiously  recluse  life,  in  a  monastery,  or 
house  of  religious  retirement. 

Montagu,  Lady  Mary  Worthy,  one  of  the  most  celebrated  among  the 
female  literary  characters  of  England.  She  was  daughter  of  Eve- 
lyn, Duke  of  Kingston,  and  was  born  about  1690,  at  Thoresby,  in 
England.  She  displayed  uncommon  abilities,  at  a  very  early  age, 
and  was  educated  by  the  best  masters  in  the  English,  Latin,  Greek, 
and  French  languages.  She  accompanied  her  husband  (Edward 
Wortley  Montagu)  on  an  embassy  to  Constantinople,  and  her  cor- 
respondence with  her  friends  was  published  and  much  admired. 
She  introduced  the  practice  of  inoculation  for  the  smallpox  into 
England,  which  proved  of  great  benefit  to  millions.  She  died  at 
the  age  of  seventy-two,  A.  D.  1762. 

Moral  Philosophy,  the  science  which  treats  of  the  motives  and  rulea 
of  human  actions,  and  of  the  ends  to  which  they  ought  to  be  di 
rected. 

Moreen,  a  kind  of  woollen  stuff  used  for  curtains,  covers  of  cushions, 
bed  hangings,  <fec. 

Mucous,  having  the  nature  of  mucus,  a  glutinous,  sticky,  thready, 
transparent  fluid,  of  a  salt  savor,  produced  by  different  membranes 
of  the  body,  and  serving  to  protect  the  membranes  and  other  inter- 
nal  parts  against  the  action  of  the  air,  food,  Ac.  The  fluid  of  the 
mouth  and  nose  is  mucus. 

Mucous  membrane,  that  membrane  which  lines  the  mouth,  nose,  intes- 
tines, and  other  open  cavities  of  the  body. 

Muriatic  acid,  an  acid  composed  of  chlorine  and  hydrogen,  called  also, 
hydrochloric  acid,  and  spirit  of  salt. 

Mush-stick,  a  stick  to  use  in  stirring  mush,  which  is  corn  meal  boiled  in 
water. 

Nankeen,  or  Nankin,  a  light  cotton  cloth,  originally  brought  from 
Nai&in,  in  China,  whence  its  name. 


GLOSSARY.  365 

Wash,  (Richard,)  commonly  called  Beau  Nash,  or  King  of  Bath,  a 
celebrated  leader  of  the  fashions  in  England.  He  was  born  at 
Swansea,  in  South  Wales,  October  8,  1674,  and  died  in  the  city  of 
Bath,  (England,)  February  3,  1761. 

Natural  History,  the  history  of  animals,  plants,  and  minerals. 

Natural  Philosophy,  the  science  which  treats  of  the  powers  of  Nature, 
the  properties  of  natural  bodies,  and  their  action  one  upon  another. 
It  is  sometimes  called  physics. 

New-milch  cow,  a  cow  which  has  recently  calved. 

Newton,  (Sir  Isaac,)  an  eminent  English  philosopher  and  mathemati- 
cian, who  was  born  on  Christmas  day,  1642,  and  died  March  20, 
1727.  He  was  much  distinguished  for  his  very  important  discove- 
ries in  Optics  and  other  branches  of  Natural  Philosophy.  See  the 
first  volume  of  *  Pursuit  of  Knowledge  under  Difficulties,'  forming 
the  fourteenth  volume  of  '  THE  SCHOOL  LIBRARY,'  Larger  Series. 

Non-learers,  plants  which  bear  no  flowers  nor  fruit. 

Northern  States,  those  of  the  United  States  situated  in  the  Northern 
and  Eastern  part  of  the  Country. 

Ordinary,  see  Physician  in  Ordinary. 

Oil  of  Vitriol,  (sulphuric  acid,  or  vitriolic  acid,)  an  acid  composed  of 
oxygen  and  sulphur. 

Orleans,  (Elizabeth  Charlotte  de  Baviere,)  Duchess  of,  second  wife  of 
Philippe,  the  brother  of  Louis  XIV.,  was  born  at  Heidelberg,  May 
26,  1652,  and  died  at  the  palace  of  St.  Cloud,  in  Paris,  December  8, 
1722.  She  was  author  of  several  works ;  among  which  were,  Me 
moirs,  and  Anecdotes,  of  the  Court  of  Louis  XIV. 

Ottoman,  a  kind  of  hassock,  or  thick  mat,  for  kneeling  upon ;  so  called, 
from  being  used  by  the  Ottomans  or  Turks. 

Oxalic  acid,  a  vegetable  acid,  which  exists  in  sorrel. 

Oxide,  a  compound  (which  is  not  acid)  of  a  substance  with  oxygen  ; 
for  example,  oxide  of  iron,  or  rust  of  metals. 

Oxidize,  to  combine  oxygen  with  a  body  without  producing  acidity. 

Oxygen,  vital  air,  a  simple  and  very  important  substance,  which  exists 
in  the  atmosphere,  and  supports  the  breathing  of  animals  and  the 
burning  of  combustibles.  It  was  called  oxygen,  from  two  Greek 
words,  signifying  to  produce  acid,  from  its  power  of  giving  acidity 
to  many  compounds  in  which  it  predominates. 

Oxygenized,  combined  with  oxygen. 

Pancreas,  a  gland  within  the  abdomen,  just  below  and  behind  the 
stomach,  and  providing  a  fluid  to  assist  digestion.  In  animals,  it  ur 
called  the  sweet-bread.  Pancreatic,  belonging  to  the  pancreas. 

Parterre,  a  level  division  of  ground,  a  flower  garden. 

Pearlash,  the  common  name  for  impure  carbonate  of  potash,  whif^a, 
in  a  purer  form,  is  called  Sal  ceratus. 

Peristaltic,  worm-like. 

Philosophy,  see  Intellectual,  Moral,  and  Natural. 

Physician  in  Ordinary  to  the  Queen,  the  Physician  who  attends  the 
Queen  in  ordinary  cases  of  illness. 

Pistil,  that  part  of  a  flower,  generally  in  the  centre,  composed  of 
the  germ,  style,  and  stigma,  which  receives  the  pollen  or  fertilizing 
dust  of  the  stamens. 

Pitt,  William,  a  celebrated  English  statesman,  son  of  the  Earl  of 
Chatham.  He  was  born,  May  28, 1759,  and  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
three,  was  made  Chancellor  of  the  Exchequer,  and  soon  afterward, 
Prime  Minister.  He  died,  January  23, 1806. 

D.  E. 


GLOSSARY. 

Political  Economy,  the  science  which  treats  of  the  general  cause* 
affecting  the  production,  distribution,  and  consumption,  of  articles 
of  exchangeable  value,  in  reference  to  their  effects  upon  national 
wealth  and  welfare. 

Pollen,  the  fertilizing  dust  of  flowers,  produced  by  the  stamens,  and 
falling  upon  the  pistils,  in  order  to  render  a  flower  capable  of  pro- 
ducing fruit  or  seed. 

Potter's  clay,  the  clay  used  in  making  articles  of  pottery. 

Prairie,  a  French  word,  signifying  meadow.  In  the  United  States,  it 
is  applied  to  the  remarkable  natural  meadows,  or  plains,  which  are 
found  in  the  Western  States.  In  some  of  these  vast  and  nearly 
level  plains,  the  traveller  may  wander  for  days,  without  meeting 
with  wood  or  water,  and  see  no  object  rising  above  the  plane  of  the 
horizon.  They  are  very  fertile. 

Prime  Minister,  the  person  appointed  by  the  ruler  of  a  nation  to  have 
the  chief  direction  and  management  of  the  public  affairs. 

Process,  a  protuberance,  or  projecting  part  of  a  bone. 

Pulmonary,  belonging  to,  or  affecting,  the  lungs.  Pulmonary  artery, 
an  artery  which  passes  through  the  lungs,  being  divided  into  seve- 
ral branches,  which  form  a  beautiful  network  over  the  air-vessels, 
and  finally  empty  themselves  into  the  left  auricle  of  the  heart. 

Puritans,  a  sect,  which  professed  to  follow  the  pure  word  of  God,  in 
opposition  to  traditions,  human  constitutions,  and  other  authorities. 
In  the  reign  of  Queen  Elizabeth,  part  of  the  Protestants  were  de- 
sirous of  introducing  a  simpler,  and,  as  they  considered  it,  a  purer, 
form  of  church  government  and  worship,  than  that  established  by 
law ;  from  which  circumstance,  they  were  called  Puritans.  In  pro- 
cess of  time,  this  party  increased  in  numbers,  and  openly  broke  off 
from  the  Church,  laying  aside  the  English  liturgy,  and  adopting  a 
service-book  published  at  Geneva,  by  the  disciples  of  Calvin. 
They  were  treated  with  great  rigor  by  the  Government,  and  many  of 
them  left  the  kingdom  and  settled  in  Holland.  Finding  themselves 
not  so  eligibly  situated  in  that  Country,  as  they  had  expected  to  be,. 
a  portion  of  them  embarked  for  America,  and  were  the  first  settlers 
of  New  England. 

Quimtic,  absurd,  romantic,  ridiculous ;  from  Don  Quixote,  the  hero  of 
a  celebrated  fictitious  work,  written  by  Cervantes,  a  distinguished 
Spanish  writer,  and  intended  to  reform  the  tastes  and  opinions  of 
his  countrymen. 

Reeking,  smoking,  emitting  vapor. 

Residuum,  the  remainder,  or  part  which  remains. 

Routine,  a  round,  or  course  of  engagements,  business,  pleasure,  &e. 

To  Run  a  seam,  to  lay  the  two  edges  of  a  seam  together,  and  pass  the 
threaded  needle  out  and  in,  with  small  stitches,  a  few  threads  be- 
low the  edge,  and  on  a  line  with  it. 

To  Run  a  stocking,  to  pass  a  thread  of  yarn,  with  a  needle,  straight 
along  each  row  of  the  stocking,  as  far  as  is  desired,  taking  up  one 
loop  and  missing  two  or  three,  until  the  row  is  completed,  so  as  tc 
double  the  thickness  at  the  part  which  is  run. 

Sabbatical  year,  every  seventh  year,  among  the  Jews,  which  was  a 
year  of  rest  for  the  land,  when  it  was  to  be  left  without  culture. 
In  this  year,  all  debts  were  to  be  remitted,  and  slaves  set  at  liberty 
See  Exodus  xxi.  2,  xxiii.  10,  Leviticus  xxv.  2, 3,  &c.,  Deuteronomj 
xv.  12,  and  other  similar  passages. 

S!aZ  aratus,  see  Pearlash. 


GLOSSARY.  367 

Sal  ammoniac,  a  salt,  called  also  muriate  of  ammonia,  which  derives 
its  name  from  a  district  in  Libya,  Egypt,  where  there  was  a  tem- 
ple of  Jupiter  Ammon,  and  where  this  salt  was  found. 

Scotch  Highlanders,  inhabitants  of  the  Highlands  of  Scotland. 

Selvedge,  the  edge  of  cloth,  a  border.     Improperly  written  selvage. 

Service-book,  a  book  prescribing  the  order  of  public  services  in  a 
church  or  congregation. 

Sharps,  see  Blunts. 

Shorts,  the  coarser  part  of  wheat  bran. 

Shrubbery,  a  plantation  of  shrubs. 

Siberia,  a  large  country  in  the  extreme  northern  part  of  Asia,  having 
the  Frozen  Ocean  on  the  north,  and  the  Pacific  Ocean  on  the  east, 
and  forming  a  part  of  the  Russian  empire.  The  northern  part  is 
extremely  cold,  almost  uncultivated,  and  contains  but  few  inhabit- 
ants. It  furnishes  fine  skins,  and  some  of  the  most  valuable  furs 
in  the  world.  It  also  contains  rich  mines  of  iron  and  copper,  and 
several  kinds  of  precious  stones. 

Sinclair,  Sir  John,  of  whom  it  was  said,  "  There  is  no  greater  name 
in  the  annals  of  agriculture,  than  his,"  was  born  in  Caithness,  Scot- 
land, May  10,  1754,  and  became  a  member  of  the  British  Parlia- 
ment in  1780.  He  was  strongly  opposed  to  the  measures  of  the 
British  Government  towards  America,  which  produced  the  Amer- 
ican Revolution.  He  was  author  of  many  valuable  publications, 
on  various  subjects.  He  died  December  21,  1835. 

Sirloin,  the  loin  of  beef.  The  appellation  *  Sir '  is  the  title  of  a 
knight,  or  baronet ;  and  has  been  added  to  the  word  '  loin,'  when 
applied  to  beef,  because  a  King  of  England,  in  a  freak  of  good  hu 
mor,  once  conferred  the  honor  of  knighthood  upon  a  loin  of  beef. 

Slack,  to  loosen,  to  relax,  to  deprive  of  cohesion. 

Soda,  an  alkali,  usually  obtained  from  the  ashes  of  marine  plants. 

To  Spade,  to  throw  out  earth  with  a  spade. 

Spermaceti,  an  oily  substance,  found  in  the  head  of  a  species  of  whale, 
called  the  spermaceti  whale. 

Spindling,  see  page  124. 

Spinous  process,  a  process  or  bony  protuberance,  resembling  a  spine  or 
thorn,  whence  it  derives  its  name. 

Spool,  a  piece  of  cane  or  reed,  or  a  hollow  cylinder  of  wood,  with  a 
ridge  at  each  end,  used  to  wind  yarn  and  thread  upon. 

Stamen,  (plural  stamens  and  stamina,)  in  weaving,  the  warp,  the 
thread,  any  thing  made  of  threads.  In  botany,  that  part  of  a  flow- 
er, on  which  the  artificial  classification  is  founded,  consisting  of  the 
filament  or  stalk,  and  the  anther,  which  contains  the  pollen,  or 
fructifying  powder. 

Stigma,  (plural  stigmas  and  stigmata,)  the  summit  or  top  of  the  pistu 
of  a  flower. 

Style,  or  Stile,  the  part  of  the  pistil  between  the  germ  and  the  stigma , 

Sub-carbonate,  an  imperfect  carbonate. 

Sulphates,  Sulphats,  Sulphites,  salts  formed  by  the  combination  o'.1 
some  base  with  sulphuric  acid,  as  Sulphate  of  copper,  (blue  vitriol, 
or  blue  stone,)  a  combination  of  sulphuric  acid  with  copper. 
Sulphate  of  iron,  copperas,  or  green  vitriol.  Sulphate  of  lime,  gyp- 
sum, or  plaster  of  Paris.  Sulphate  of  magnesia,  Epsom  salts. 
Sulpltate  of  potash,  a  chemical  salt,  composed  of  sulphuric  acid  and 
potash  Sulphate  of  soda,  Glauber's  salts.  Sulphate  ofzinct  white 
vitriol 


368  GLOSSARY. 

Sulphuret,  a  combination  of  an  alkaline  earth  or  metal  with  sulpnur 
as,  Sulphuret  of  iron,  a  combination  of  iron  and  sulphur. 

Sulphuric  acid,  oil  of  vitriol,  vitriolic  acid. 

Suture,  a  sewing  ;  the  uniting  of  parts  by  stitching ;  the  seam  or  joint 
which  unites  the  flat  bones  of  the  skull,  which  are  notched  like  the 
teeth  of  a  saw,  and  the  notches,  being  united  together,  present  the 
appearance  of  a  seam. 

Tartar,  a  substance,  deposited  on  the  inside  of  wine  casks,  consisting 
chiefly  of  tartaric  acid  and  potass.  Cream  of  tartar,  the  crude  tar- 
tar separated  from  all  its  impurities,  by  being  dissolved  in  water  and 
then  crystallized,  when  it  becomes  a  perfectly  white  powder. 

Tartaric  acid,  a  vegetable  acid  which  exists  in  the  grape. 

Technology,  a  description  of  the  arts,  considered  generally,  in  thejr 
theory  and  practice,  as  connected  with  moral,  political,  and  physical 
science. 

Three  great  Jewish  yearly  festivals,  see  Festivals. 

Three-ply,  or  triple  ingrain,  a  kind  of  carpeting,  in  which  the  threads 
are  woven  in  such  a  manner  as  to  make  three  thicknesses  of  the  cloth. 

Tic  douloureux,  a  painful  affection  of  the  nerves,  mostly  those  of  the 
face. 

Tocqueville,  (Alexis  de,)  a  celebrated  living  statesman  and  writer  of 
France,  and  author  of  volumes  on  the  Political  Condition,  and  the 
Penitentiaries,  of  the  United  States,  and  other  works. 

Trachea,  the  windpipe,  so  named  (from  a  Greek  word  signifying 
rough)  from  the  roughness,  or  inequalities,  of  the  cartilages  of  whicn 
it  is  formed. 

Truckle-bed,  or  trundle-bed,  a  bed  that  runs  on  wheels. 

Tuber,  a  solid,  fleshy,  roundish  root,  like  the  potato.  Tuberous,  thick 
and  fleshy ;  composed  of,  or  having,  tubers. 

Tucks,  (improperly  tacks,)  folds  in  garments. 

Turmeric,  the  root  of  a  plant  called  Curcuma,  longa,  a  native  of  the 
East  Indies,  used  as  a  yellow  dye. 

Twaddle,  idle,  foolish  talk,  or  conversation. 

Unbolted,  unsifted. 

Unslacked,  not  loosened,  or  deprived  of  cohesion.  Lime,  when  it  has 
been  slacked,  crumbles  to  powder,  from  being  deprived  of  cohesion. 

Valance,  the  drapery  or  fringe  hanging  round  the  cover  of  a  bed, 
couch,  or  other  similar  article. 

Vascular,  relating  to,  or  full  of,  vessels. 

Venetian,  a  kind  of  carpeting,  composed  of  a  striped  woollen  warp  on 
a  thick  woof  of  linen  thread. 

Verisimilitude,  probability,  resemblance  to  truth. 

Verbatim,  word  for  word. 

Vice  versa,  the  side  being  changed,  or  the  question  reversed,  or  the 
terms  being  exchanged. 

Viscera,  (plural  of  viscus,)  organs  contained  in  the  abdomen  and  in 
the  chest. 

Vitriol,  a  compound  mineral  salt,  of  a  very  caustic  taste.  Blue  vitriol, 
sulphate  of  copper.  Green  vitriol,  see  Copperas.  Oil  of  vitriol,  sul- 
phuric acid.  White*oitriol,  sulphate  of  zinc. 

Waffle-iron,  an  iron  utensil  for  the  purpose  of  baking  waffles,  which 
are  thin  and  soft  cakes  indented  by  the  iron  in  which  they  are  baked. 

Washleather,  a  soft,  pliable  leather,  dressed  with  oil,  and  in  such  a  way, 
that  it  may  be  washed,  without  shrinking.  It  is  used  for  various 
articles  of  dress,  as  under-shirts,  drawers,  &c.,  and  also  for  rubbing 


GLOSSARY.          .  369 

silver,  and  other  articles  having  a  high  polish.  The  article  known, 
in  commerce,  as  chamois,  or  shammy,  leather,  is  also  called  wash 
leather. 

Welting  cord,  a  cord  sewed  into  the  welt  or  border  of  a  garment. 

The  West,  or  Western  World.  When  used  in  Europe,  or  in  distinc 
tion  from  the  Eastern  World,  it  means  America.  When  used  in 
this  Country,  the  West  refers  to  the  Western  States  of  the  Union. 
Western  Wilds,  the  wild,  thinly-settled  lands  of  the  Western  States 

White  vitriol,  sea  Zinc, 

Wilton  carpet,  a  kind  of  carpets,  made  in  England,  and  so  called  from 
the  place  which  is  the  chief  seat  of  their  manufacture.  They  are 
woollen  velvets,  with  variegated  colors. 

Writ  of  lunacy,  see  Lunacy. 

Xantippe,  the  wife  of  Socrates,  noted  for  her  violent  temper  and  scold 
ing  propensities.  The  name  is  frequently  applied  to  a  shrew,  or 
peevish,  turbulent,  scolding  woman. 

Zinc,  a  blueish-white  metal,  which  is  used  as  a  constituent  of  brass, 
and  some  other  alloys.  Sulphate  of  zinc,  or  White  vitriol,  a  combina- 
tion of  zinc  with  sulphuric  acid. 


INDEX. 


A. 

Absorbents  of  the  skin,  93, 119. 

Accidents  and  antidotes,  240. 

Accounts,  174, 186.   By  girls,  188. 

Acids,  319. 

Africans,  diet  of,  221. 

Air,  evils  of  the  want  of  pure,  91, 
129, 196, 311.  Exercise  in  the, 
129, 133.  For  infants,  217,  218. 
Of  sick-rooms,  237.  Dancing 
in  the,  246.  See  Ventilation. 

Albany  Orphan  Asylum,  222. 

Alcoholic  drinks,  107.  See  Stim- 
ulating. 

Alton,  account  of  the  Monticello 
Female  Seminary  at,  54. 

Amaryllis,  335. 

America,  anticipations  as  to,  36. 
Conspicuous  station  of,  36. 
Changeableness  in  the  con- 
ditions in,  40,  46,  48,  257.  La- 
bor in,  147. 

American  women,  peculiar  re- 
sponsibilities of,  25.  Rights 
and  privileges  of,  27.  Their 
distinct  line  of  duty,  28,  32,  33. 
Influence  of,  on  America,  32, 
33.  Their  equality,  33.  Fan- 
cied wrongs  of,  33.  Fart  to  be 
acted  by,  36.  Influence  of,  in 
the  world,  37,  38.  Difficulties 
peculiar  to,  38 ;  as  housekeep- 
ers, 39, 151, 204;  from  delicacy 
of  constitution,  41,  45,  47, 128. 
Few  perfectly  healthy,  43. 
Causes  of  unhealthy,  43,  128 ; 
mental  excitement,  43;  their 
sense  of  their  responsibilities, 
44  ;  too  little  out-door  exercise, 
44.  Bad  early  training  of,  45. 
Exposures  of,  in  newly-settled 
countries,  46.  De  Tocqueville 


describes,  in  the  West,  46.  !• 
the  East  and  in  the  West,  com 
pared,  47.  Should  oppose  the 
feeling  that  labor  is  degrading, 
61.  Precedence  given  to,  by 
the  other  sex,  141.  Housekeep- 
ing by,  151.  Time  and  money 
spent  by,  for  the  ornamental, 
175.  Sec  Daughters,  Females, 
Mothers,  and  Women. 

Amusements,  244,  250. 

Anemone,  335. 

Anger,  on  silence  in,  152.  See 
Temper,  and  Tones. 

Animal  food,  99, 1 00.  For  young 
children,  220.  Nourishment  of, 
221.  See  Food. 

Animals,  cruelty  to,  in  sport,  244, 
246. 

Annual  flowers,  337. 

Anthracite  coal,  281. 

Ants,  red  and  black,  323. 

Anxiety,  a  countenance  of,  149. 

Appetites,  gratification  of  the,  159, 
171, 172.  Rule  as  to,  184. 

Apple  trees,  preserving  from  in- 
sects, 350. 

Apportionment  of  time,  157,  160, 
181.  By  regular  division  of 
work,  162.  Jewish,  181. 

Aristocracy,  English,  27,  123 
The  prejudice  of,  as  to  labor, 
61,  123.  Distinguishing  mark 
of,  123.  On  aping  the,  124. 
Courtesy  of,  limited,  139.  Man 
ners  or  democracy  and,  146 
On  economy  among  the,  194 
Domestics  of,  205. 

Arm,  muscles  of  the,  74,  75. 

Arsenic,  poisoning  from,  242. 

Arteries,  tying  up,  240. 

Associated  charities.  178. 


INDEX. 


Association,  in  Illinois,  for  educa- 
ting poor  females,  59.  For  ed- 
ucation at  large,  203. 

Astral  lamps,  282. 

B. 

Back-door  accommodations,  276. 

Baglivi,  on  health  during  Lent, 
100. 

Balls,  247,  248. 

Bargains,  on  making,  190, 194. 

Baskets.  321.  For  centre  tables, 
354. 

Bath,  on  using  the,  120. 

Bathing  infants,  217.  See  Wash- 
ing. 

Bathing-rooms,  276. 

Beating  down  prices,  190,  194. 

Beaumont,  Dr.,  experiments  by, 
on  the  digestibility  of  food,  104, 
note. 

Beauty,  effect  of  exercise  on,  132. 

Bed-bugs,  323. 

Bedrooms,  care  of,  311. 

Beds  and  bedHing,  114,  313,  329. 
Washing,  287.  On  making, 
314. 

Beefs-gall,  uses  of,  286, 289.  To 
prepare,  292. 

Bell,  Sir  Charles,  on  nerves,  129. 

Benevolence,  happiness  of,  131. 
See  Charity. 

Bile,  89. 

Bituminous  coal,  281. 

Black  ants,  323. 

Black  tea,  110. 

Bleeding  at  the  lungs,  243. 

Blindness,  guarding  against,  217, 
283. 

Blisters,  on  dressing,  238. 

Blood,  details  as  to  the  circulation 
of  the,  83.  Effect  of  daylight 
on  the,  124;  of  exercise,  132. 
Crowded  to  the  brain,  when  one 
is  excited.  195.  When  a  cause 
of  mental  disease,  196.  Stop- 
ping, 240, 243.  When  dancing, 
246.  See  Circulation. 

Blood-vessels,  81. 

Blows  on  the  head,  241. 
Boarding-houses,  plan  as  to   ex- 
penses of,  186. 

Boarding  schools,    curvature   of 

the  spine  common  at,  41.     See 

Female  seminaries. 

32 


Boards  for  ironing,  294. 

Body,  change  and  renovation  ol 
the,  91.  Connection  of  mind 
and,  195.  See  Mind. 

Boldness  in  domestics,  209 

Bones,  described,  69. 

Books,  on  teaching  domestic  econ 
omy  from,  65. 

Bosom-boards,  294. 

Boston,  scientific  and  literary  ad- 
vantages in,  147. 

Bowels,  235,  237,  note. 

Boys,  small,  made  useful,  164. 
Domestic  arts  taught  to,  164. 
See  Children. 

Brain,  excitement  of  the,  195 
Over-action  of  the,  197. 

Breakfast,  103.  On  late,  127. 
On  the  care  of,  and  of  dining- 
rooms,  306. 

Broadcloths,  cleansing,  289. 

Broken  limbs,  240. 

Brown  linens,  washing,  288 

Bruises,  240. 

Budding,  hints  on,  342. 

Bulbs,  335. 

Bulwer's  novels,  234. 

Burne,  Dr.,  cited,  235. 

Burns,  treatment  of,  241 

Buttonholes,  324. 

Byron,  Lord,  200,  201. 

C.  ^ 

Cakes,  keeping  till  meal  time,  223. 

Calicoes,  washing,  286, 287.  Iron- 
ing, 295. 

Calisthenics,  56,  247. 

Candles,  281.    To  make,  283. 

Caps  for  infants,  217. 

Carpets,  hints  as  to,  302. 

Carving,  310. 

Castle  building,  199. 

Cathartics,  235,  237. 

Catholics,  health  of,  during  Lent, 
100. 

Cellars,  vegetables  in  dark,  124 
On  the  care  of,  322. 

Chambers,  care  of,  31 1 .  Couches 
for,  312.  Furniture  for,  313. 

Character,  attention  to,  at  school, 
58.  Dependence  of  happiness 
on,  169.  Self-denying  benevo 
lence  of  Christ's,  169. 

Charcoal,  242,  28  \ . 

Charity,  131.     On  giving  in,  158 


INDEX. 


Difficulty  respecting,  167.  Gen 
eral  principles  respecting,  168. 
Objects  for  receiving,  176.  For 
souls  of  men,  177.  By  furnish- 
ing the  poor  with  means  of 
earning  support,  178.  Associa- 
tions for,  178.  Indiscriminate 
bestowal  of,  178.  Benefit  of 
tracts  in  distributing,  179.  On 
judging  of  other  people's,  180. 
Union  of,  with  social  enjoy- 
ments, 184. 

Cheap  articles,  hints  on,  190,  194. 

Children,  washing,  121, 122.  Liv- 
ing in  the  dark,  124.  Early  re- 
tiring and  rising  of,  126.  Cul- 
tivation of  good  manners  in, 
141, 142.  Too  great  familiarity 
with,  143,  226.  Should  ac- 
knowledge acts  of  kindness, 
143;  ask  leave  to  use  otters' 
articles,  143;  avoid  wounding 
others'  feelings,  143.  To  be 
taught  to  keep  silence,  1 45, 230. 
Do  not  surround  with  too  many 
rules,  145.  On  making  allow- 
ances for,  154.  Waiting  on,  163 
On  making  useful,  163,  252. 
On  paying,  for  services,  164, 
230.  On  giving  younger,  to 
older,  165.  Precocity  in,  198. 
Eating  too  often,  223.  To  be 
guarded  as  to  honesty,  deceit, 
and  running  in  debt,  232.  Shar- 
ing fruits  and  flowers,  251.  See 
Boys,  Female,  Girls,  and  Young 
children. 

Chimneys,  smoky,  352. 

Christ's  character,  169. 

Christianity,  principles  of,  identi- 
cal with  democratic,  25,  34. 

Churches,  ill-ventilated,  196. 

Chyle,  89.  Converted  into  arte- 
rial blood,  90.  From  animal 
and  other  food,  99. 

Cincinnati,  education  in,  148. 

Circulation,  in  the  skin  of  infants, 
113.  Effect  of  cold  on,  113, 
118, 119.  See  Blood. 

Clark,  Dr.,  on  animal  diet  for 
very  young  children,  220. 

Cleaning  carpets,  303. 

Cleanliness,  on  realizing  the  im- 
portance of  118.  Of  the  sick, 
238. 


Cleansing  articles,  298. 

Climbing  plants,  339. 

Closets,  of  conveniences,  162. 
Sliding,  278.  For  washing 
utensils,  285.  In  eating-rooms, 
306.  In  kitchens,  322. 

Clothing  and  clothes,  112.  Defi- 
ciencv  Of,  113, 129.  Excess  of, 
114.  Rule  as  to,  114.  Flannel, 
114, 115.  Of  men  and  women, 
compared,  115.  Example  of 
English  women  as  to,  117.  On 
changing,  next  to  the  body,  120. 
Girls  buying  their  own,  188. 
On  inconsistent,  189.  On  wash- 
ing, 285.  Ironing,  295.  Whiten- 
ing, 296.  Cleansing,  298. 
Coloring,  300.  See  Dress,  and 
Tight  dressing 

Coal,  281. 

Coats,  on  folding,  315. 

Cobalt,  poisoning  from,  242. 

Cockroaches,  323. 

Coffee,  see  Tea. 

Cold,  on  exposuffe  to,  113,  118 
Effect  of,  on  infants,  114. 

Cold  and  hot,  food,  103.  Drinks, 
110. 

Collecting  of  specimens,  253. 

Colleges,  on  the  endowment  of, 
51.  On  physicians  in,  198. 

Colors,  coloring  and,  300.  For 
different  complexions,  327. 

Combe,  Andrew,  on  drinks,  111. 
On  exercising  the  brain,  199. 
On  infants,  214.  On  animal 
food,  221. 

Complexions,  colors  for  the  differ 
ent,  327. 

Condiments  in  food,  99 

Constipation,  235,  237,  note. 

Constitution,  delicacy  of,  in  Amer- 
ican females,  41, 45, 47 ;  causes 
of  it,  45, 128.  On  early  attention 
to  the,  49.  Duties  of  wealthy- 
mothers,  respecting  their  chil- 
dren's, 50.  Effect  of  stimula 
ting  drinks  on  the,  107. 

Conveniences,  on  providing,  162. 
For  cooking,  319.  See  Closets 

Convivial  meetings,  on  exposures 
after,  119,  247. 

Cooking,  food  made  unhealthy  by. 
99, 101 .  Conveniences  wanted 
for,  319. 

D.  E 


INDEX. 


Cooper,  Sir  Astley,  cited,  195. 
Corrosive     sublimate,     poisoning 

from,  241 . 
Corsets,  1 16. 
Couches,  cheap,  312. 
Courtesy,  want  of,l  37, 141 ;  causes 

of  it,  138, 148.     See  Democracy. 
Cows,  to  take  care  of,  352. 
Creeping  of  infants,  219. 
Cribs  for  infants,  218. 
Crickets,  323. 
Crockery,  319. 
Crocus,  335. 
Crown  Imperial,  335. 
Cruelty  in  amusements,  244,  246. 
Crying  of  infants,  219. 
Curculios,  351 
Currants,  348,  350. 
Curtains,  302,  304. 
Curvature,  see  Spine. 
Cuts,  remedies  for,  240. 
Cutting  and  sewing,  324*,  328. 
Cuvier,  cited,  220. 

D. 

Daffodils,  336. 

Dahlias,  336. 

Dancing,  245,  246. 

Daughters,  on  schooling,  48.  On 
keeping,  as  domestic  assistants, 
60.  Educated  to  domestic  work, 
67.  See  Female,  and  Girls. 

Day,  on  converting  into  night, 
123.  Influence  of,  on  vegeta 
bles  and  blood,  124. 

Debt,  on  running  into,  232. 

Democracy,  principles  of,  identi- 
cal with  Christian,  25, 34.  Ten- 
dencies of,  as  to  the  female  sex, 
27.  On  progress  towards,  34. 
On  what  the  success  of,  de- 
pends, 36.  Of  early  rising,  123. 
Courtesy  of  manners  and,  138, 
140,  146. 

Derangement,  from  over-excite- 
ment, 197. 

Diet,  see  Food. 

Difficulties,  peculiar  to  American 
women,  38.  On  estimating 
them  justly,  39, 15J .  Remedies 
for,  48,  151. 

Digestion,  organs  of  respiration 
and,  87.  Details  respecting,  94. 
Articles  easiest  for,  101,  104. 
Experiments  respecting,  104. 


Bulk  of  food  necessary  to,  lOb 
Impeded  by  bathing,  121. 

Dining-rooms,  care  of,  306. 

Dinner,  setting  table  for,  309. 

Dirt  not  healthy,  118. 

Dish-cloths,  317. 

Dishes,  on  washing,  318. 

Dolls,  benefits  from,  254. 

Domestic  amusements,  244. 

Domestic  exercise,  128. 

Domestic  Economy,  on  raising,  as 
a  science,  50,  67.  Reasons  for 
introducing,  into  school,  63.  On 
teaching,  from  books,  65.  In- 
dispensable part  of  education. 
134. 

Domestic  education,  importance 
of,  in  childhood,  48.  On  early 
training  in,  49, 60,  67.  On  giv- 
ing mornings  to,  49.  In  the 
Monticello  Female  Seminary, 
54.  Should  alternate  with  stud- 
ies, 60.  Sufferings  for  want  of, 
63.  Many  mothers  unqualified 
to  teach,  65.  Dignity  of,  67,135. 

Domestics,  peculiar  difficulties  as 
to,  in  America,  40,  204.  Duties 


to  be  done  by  daughters,  and  not 
by,  50.     Blessing 
of,  50.     Without,  64. 


Blessing  of  a  dearth 
Onmak 

ing  allowances  for,  154,  210, 
212.  Care  of,  204.  Of  aristo- 
cratic lands,  205.  Placing  our- 
selves in  their  situation,  205, 
206.  Exorbitant  wages  of,  205. 
Instability  and  discontent  of, 
and  the  remedy,  206.  Pride 
and  insubordination  of,  and  the 
remedy,  207,  208.  On  calling 
them  servants,  207.  Admitted 
to  the  table,  209.  Bold  and  for- 
ward, 209.  Dress  and  rooms 
of,  209,  210.  Deficiencies  of, 
and  the  remedies,  210.  Getting 
away,  211.  Finding  fault  with, 
211.  Patience  with,  212.  Re- 
gard to,  in  construction  of 
houses,  261.  Beds  for,  315. 

Doors,  outside,  260,  263. 

Dress,  too  much  attention  *o.l66. 
Inconsistency  in,  189  Jf  do- 
mestics, 209.  See  C.othing. 

Dresses,  for  the  domestic  duties  of 
school  girls,  55.  Colors  for,  327 
See  Clothing. 


INDEX. 


Drink,  during-  meal-time,  103. 
Drinks,  on  healthful,  106. 
Drowning,  241. 
Dumb-waiters,  278,  306. 
Dusting,  304,  306. 
Duties,     enjoyments     connected 
with,  183. 

E. 

Early  rising,  122.  Democratic, 
123.  Reasons  for,  124.  Time 
for,  126.  Longevity  and,  126. 
Effects  of,  on  a  family,  126 ',  on 
the  community,  127 ;  on  sys- 
tematic duty,  166. 

Earthen  ware,  319. 

Eating,  intemperance  in,  94,  95. 
At  any  time,  96.  Too  fast,  101 . 
Should  not  be  followed  by  ex- 
ercise, 102;  nor  bathing,  121. 
See  Food. 

Eating-rooms,  care  of,  306. 

Economy,  on  domestic,  152.  Ex- 
travagance changed  for,  176. 
Contradictory  ideas  as  to,  185. 
General  principles  as  to,  186. 
Relative  obligations  of  rich  and 
poor  as  to,  191.  Neglect  as  to, 
193.  Of  the  aristocracy,  194. 

Education  in  America,  147.  As- 
sociations for,  203.  See  Female, 
and  Monticello. 

Employment,  for  the  different  di- 
visions of  a  week,  162.  On  reg- 
ular, for  all  the  family,  163. 

Enjoyments,  see  Amusements,  and 
Happiness. 

Equality,  on  democratic,  25.  See 
Democracy,  Sexes,  and  Wo- 
men. 

Establishments,  expensive,  given 
up,  176. 

Exercise,  comparative,  of  Ameri- 
can women  and  others,  44. 
Neglect  of,  50,  244.  Method 
for  securing,  at  the  Monticello 
Female  Seminary,  54.  Indis- 
pensable to  the  health  of  the 
several  parts  of  the  human 
frame,  73,  97.  Of  the  muscles, 
76,  78,  97,  116,  128,  129.  Ef- 
fect of  want  of,  on  the  spine, 
78,  80.  Food  to  be  graduated 
by,  97.  After  eating,  bad,  102. 
Evils  of  want  of,  129.  On  fur- 
nishing interesting,  131  Walk- 


ing for,  131.  In  useful  employ 
ments,  131.  Excessive,  132 
Rule  as  to,  133.  On  excessive, 
of  the  mind  and  feelings,  197. 
Of  the  brain,  199. 

Exhalations  from  the  skin,  92. 

Expenses,  on  keeping  account  of, 
J73, 174.  Economy  in,  185, 193. 
On  graduating,  by  the  income, 
186.  On  gentility  in  being  care 
less  of,  193.  On  extravagance 
in,  194.  See  Economy. 

Eyes,  screening,  from  light,  217, 
283. 

F. 

Family,  on  early  rising  in  the, 
126.  Fathers  neglecting  the, 
255.  On  attachments  of,  256. 

Fasting  in  sickness,  235. 

Fathers  neglecting  home,  255 

Fault-finding,  211. 

Featherbeds,  114,  313. 

Feelings,  inactivity  of  the,  199. 

Feet,  on  protecting  the,  115,  117, 
129.  Keeping  those  of  infants, 
warm,  217.  Bathing,  for  a 
cold,  235. 

Female  association  for  educating 
poor  females,  59. 

Female  education,  advantages  for, 
in  America,  43.  Objects  to  be 
attended  to,  in,  48,  49.  Impor- 
tance of  mathematics  in,  56. 
Should  be  conducted  by  fe- 
males, 58.  .Present  waste  in 
conducting,  60.  See  School. 

Female  seminaries,  on  the  endow- 
ment of,  51.  Importance  of,  52. 
Defects  of,  53.  Suitable,  53. 
Monticello  Female  Seminary, 
described,  54.  Division  of  la 
bor  and  responsibility  in,  58. 
Requirement  for  admission  to 
the  Monticello,  59.  On  pro- 
viding, 61,  68.  Reasons  for  in- 
troducing the  study  of  domestic 
economy  into,  63.  Establish* 
ment  of,  by  a  wealthy  female 
202.  Should  have  gardens 
251. 

Females,  influence  of,  on  the  char- 
acter of  the  young,  37.  Building 
schoolhouses,  202.  See  Ameri 
can  women,  Girls,  and  Women 

Filberts,  348. 


INDEX. 


Finding  fault,  211. 

Finger  nails,  122,  144. 

Fire,  escaping  from,  243. 

Fireplaces  and  fires,  260,  265, 280, 
311. 

Fishing,  244. 

Flannel,  114.  Utility  of,  115.  On 
washing,  285,  286. 

Fleas,  323. 

Flies,  on  destroying,  323. 

Flower  baskets,  354. 

Flower  seeds,  on  planting,  332. 

Flowers,  251,  335.  Arranging, 
337. 

Fluids,  on  taking,  103,  104. 

Folding  articles,  315. 

Follicles  of  the  skin,  93. 

Food,  on  the  conversion  of,  into 
nourishment,  87.  Responsibili- 
ty as  to,  in  a  family,  94.  On 
taking  too  much,  94,  95,  128. 
On  one  kind  of,  for  each  meal, 
95.  Should  be  taken  at  proper 
times,  96.  Strong  laboring  men 
need  most,  96.  Quantity  of,  to 
be  graduated  by  exercise,  97. 
On  the  quality  of,  98.  Stimula- 
ting, 99.  Animal  and  vegetable, 
99, 100, 220, 221 .  Kinds  of,  most 
easily  digested,  101,  104,  105. 
Injurious,  from  bad  cooking,101 . 
On  eating,  too  fast,  101,  128. 
On  exercise  after  taking,  102. 
On  hot  and  cold,  103.  Highly 
concentrated,  104.  Certain  bulk 
of,  necessary  to  digestion,  105. 
For  infants,  214,  216.  For 
nurses,  215.  Sickness  from  im- 
proper, 235.  Preparing,  for  the 
sick,  239. 

Footstools,  303. 

Foreigners,  employed  as  domes- 
tics, 40. 

Forewarning  domestics,  211. 

Forwardness  of  domestics,  209. 

Franklin,  Benjamin,  diet  of,  222. 

Frocks,  to  make,  326. 

Fruit,  on  the  cultivation  of,  251, 
347.  To  preserve,  350. 

Fuel,  hints  as  to,  280. 

Furnaces,  260,  note. 

Furniture,    on    costly,   163,  167. 
On  inconsistent,   188.     On  se- 
lecting,  302.     Packing  of,  for  i| 
moving,  316.    Kitchen,  319.       I, 


G. 

Games  of  children,  253. 

Garden  seeds,  to  plant,  333. 

Gardening,  331. 

Gardens,  at  female  institution* 
251.  On  laying  out,  334. 

Gas,  antidote  for,  242. 

Gastric  juice,  88/94. 

Gathering,  in  shirts,  325. 

Girls,  on  sending,  to  school,  48, 60 
Should  assist  their  mothers  ear- 
ly, 49.  Education  of,  at  the 
Monticello  Female  Seminary, 
54.  Confinement  of,  in  school, 
133.  Small,  made  useful,  164. 
Forming  habits  of  system,  167 ; 
of  making  purchases  and  keep- 
ing accounts,  188.  Effects  of  ex- 
citement on,  197.  Taking  care 
of  infants  by,  214.  See  Daugh- 
ters, and  Females. 

Gladiolus,  335. 

Gloves,  cleansing,  298. 

Godfrey,  Benjamin,  Female  Sern 
inary  endowed  by,  54. 

Gooseberries,  348,  350. 

Gothic  cottage,  271. 

Government  of  children,  226. 
Unsteadiness  in,  and  over-gov- 
ernment, 228.  Maxims  on,  229. 
See  Children,  Subordination, 
and  Young  children. 

Grafting,  344. 

Grapes,  349,  350 

Grates,  281. 

Gratifications,  on  physical,  159, 
171,  172. 

Grease-spots,  289,  297,  298.  In 
carpets,  304. 

Greeks  and  Romans,  bathing  by 
120. 

H. 

Habit,  in  a  system  of  duty,  166. 

Handkerchiefs,  cleansing,  298. 

Happiness,  dependence  of,  on 
character,  169.  On  living  to 
make,  169,  200.  Connected 
with  duties,  183. 

Hard-soap,  to  make,  291. 

Head,  blows  on  the,  241. 

Headache,  78,  95. 

Health,  delicacy  and  infrequencj 
of,  in  American  women,  41,  45 
Effect  of  mental  excitement  on 


INDEX. 


43;  of  a  high  sense  of  responsi- 
bility, &c.,44  ;  of  want  of  out- 
door exercise,  44  ;  of  bad  early 
training,  45 ;  of  exposures  in 
newly-settled  countries,  46. 
On  preparation  for  a  rational 
care  of,  in  a  family,  68,  69. 
Connection  of  exercise  and,  73, 
76,  78,  97, 133;  of  the  quantity 
of  food  and,  94,  95,  100;  of  the 
quality,  98.  Of  Catholics  dur- 
ing Lent,  100.  Not  from  dirt, 
118.  Effect  of  early  rising  on, 
125.  On  the  duty  of  sacrificing, 
159.  Causes  which  injure  the 
mind's,  196.  Amusements  and, 
245.  Laughter  and,  253.  Re- 
gard to,  in  constructing  houses, 
260.  Ventilation  and,  311.  Con- 
nection of,  with  cellars,  322. 
See  Air,  Exercise,  and  Sick- 


Hearths,  305 

Hearts,  different,  84.  Cause  of 
their  throbbing,  90. 

Heat  of  the  body,  regulated  by  the 
skin,  92. 

Heating  houses,  260. 

Help,  see  Domestics. 

Helping  at  table,  310. 

Herbaceous  roots,  339. 

Horse-racing,  245,  246. 

Horses,  care  of,  351. 

Hose,  on  washing,  286,  289. 

Hospitality,  on  manifesting,  144. 
To  strangers,  257. 

Hot  and  cold  food  and  drinks, 
103,  110. 

Hot-beds,  331. 

House-cleaning,  353. 

Housekeepers,  difficulties  peculiar 
to  American  women  as,  30. 
Preservation  of  good  temper  in, 
148,  150.  Allowances  to  be 
made  for,  150.  Necessity  of 
a  habit  of  system  and  order 
in,  157.  General  principles 
for,  158.  Plans  by,  for  sav- 
ing time,  184.  See  American 
women. 

Housekeeping,  on  a  knowledge 
of,  134.  Dignity  and  difficulty 
of,  150,  157.  See  Labor. 

House-plants,  to  repot.  J33.  Care 
of,  341. 


Houses,  on  the  construction  oi, 
258.  Regard  to  economy  of  la- 
bor in,  258 ;  to  water,  25(J,  275 , 
to  heating,  260 ;  to  economy  of 
health,  260 ;  to  domestics,  261 ; 
to  good  taste,  261.  Plans  of,  and 
of  domestic  conveniences,  261 
Shade-trees  around,  275.  Back- 
door accommodations  to,  276. 

Hunger,  94,  132.  As  a  guide  for 
taking  food,  97. 

Hunting,  244. 

Hyacinths,  335. 

I. 

Illinois,  female  association  in,,  lor 
educating  poor  females,  59. 
See  Alton. 

Imagination,  199.  Works  of,  249. 
See  Novel  reading. 

Impostors,  soliciting  charity,  178. 

Impurity  of  thought,  233. 

Income,  see  Expenses. . 

Indigestion,  101.     See  Health 

Infants,  mortality  among,  112 
114,  214.  Too  cold,  113! 
Plunging,  in  cold  water,  113. 
Registrations  of,  113.  On  giv- 
ing, to  the  older  children,  165. 
Use  of,  to  elicit  charity,  179. 
Importance  of  knowing  how  to 
take  care  of,  213.  Combe, 
Bell,  and  Eberle  on,  cited,  214. 
Food  for,  214,  216,  218.  Med- 
icines for,  215,  216,  218,  219. 
Pure  air  for,  217,  218.  Keep- 
ing warm,  217,  218.  Keeping 
their  heads  cool,  217.  Bathing, 
217,  218.  Nostrums  for,  219. 
Unquiet,  219.  To  creep,  219 
Standing,  219.  Crying,  219. 
See  Children,  and  Mortality. 

Ingrafting,  344. 

Ink-stains,  298. 

Insects,  on  destroying,  323.  Pre- 
serving apple  trees  from,  350. 

Institutions,  see  Female  semina- 
ries, and  School. 

Intelligence,  dependence  of  de- 
mocracy on,  36. 

Intemperance,  H.  Martineau  on, 
criticized,  30,  note.  In  eating, 
94,  95.  In  drinking,  106.  Fe 
male  responsibility  as  to,  106 

Invitations,  353. 

D.  E 


INDEX. 


Ironing,  articles  to  be  provided  for, 
293.  Settee  for,  293.  Boards 
for,  294.  Hints  on,  295. 

I ron- ware,  319. 

J. 

Jewish  use  of  time,  182. 
Jokes,  253. 
Jonquilles,  335. 

K. 
Kitchens,  163,  259.     On   taking 

care   of,   317.     Floors   of,  317. 

Oilcloths   for,   317.     Furniture 

for,  319. 

Knitting,  to  employ  time,  185. 
Knives  and  forks,  307. 


Labelling  powders,  239. 

Labor,  nobility  of,  55,  147.  On 
opposing  the  idea  of  the  degra- 
dation of,  61,  123,  124.  Not. 
inconsistent  with  delicacy,  62. 
On  economy  of,  in  houses,  258. 

Laces,  doing  up  of,  292. 

Lamps,  281.     Care  of,  282. 

Laplanders  and  their  food,  220. 

Lard,  used  for  oil,  281. 

Latticed  portico,  277. 

Laughter,  253. 

Laws,  necessity  of  a  system  of,  25. 

Leghorn  hats,  299. 

Lent,  health  during,  100. 

Ley,  to  make,  290. 

Life,  object  of,  168. 

Light,  effects  of,  124.  Screening 
eyes  from,  217,  283. 

Lightning,  243. 

Lightning  rods,  243. 

Lights,  281. 

Limbs  of  trees,  on  training,  348. 

Linens,  288,  328. 

Linnaeus,  cited,  220. 

Liquids,  on  taking,  103,  104. 

Literature,  guarding,  249. 

Longevity,  Sinclair  on,  126. 
From  vegetable  diet,  221 . 

Louis  XIV.,  manners  of  his  age, 
148. 

Lungs,  89.  Effects  of  tight-dress- 
ing on  the,  90, 117.  Bleeding 
at  the,  243. 

Luxuries,  see  Superfluities. 


M. 

Mahogany  furniture,  305. 

Manners,  good,  136.  Amencan 
defect  in,  and  cause  of  it,  137. 
Of  the  Puritans  and  their  pos 
terity,  137.  Principles  respect- 
ing, 140.  Proprieties  in,  141 
On  cultivation  of,  141.  At 
home,  142.  Leading  points  as 
to,  claiming  attention,  142. 
Children  to  be  taught,  143.  On 
conventional,  144.  At  table, 
144.  Charity  for  bad,  145.  Ot 
the  age  of  Louis  XIV.,  148 
See  Children. 

Marble,  stains  on,  305. 

Martineau,  Harriet,  criticized,  30 
note,  141,  note. 

Mathematics,  importance  of,  in  a 
female  education,  56. 

Mattresses,  312,  329. 

Meals,  should  be  five  hours  apart, 
96.  On  the  nature  of  the,  103 
Time  of  English,  123. 

Meat,  on  eating,  99,  100.  See 
Animal  food,  and  Food. 

Mechanical  amusements,  254. 

Medical  men  needed  in  literary 
institutions,  198. 

Medicines,  on  giving,  to  infants, 
215.  On  administering,  236, 

238.  Different  effects  of  dif- 
ferent,  236.      On   purchasing, 

239.  Labelling,  239. 

Men,  engaged  in  women's  work, 
164,  165. 

Mending,  330. 

Mental  excitement,  effect  of,  on 
health,  43.  On  reducing  youth- 
ful, 48,  49.  On  invigorating, 
56.  Effect  of,  on  the  mind, 
197.  See  Mind. 

Mexicans,  teeth  of,  110. 

Mice,  323. 

Mildew,  removing,  296. 

Milk,  for  infants,  216,  217. 

Milkweed-silk,  227. 

Mind,  connection  of  body  and, 
195.  Causes  which  injure  the 
health  of  the,  196.  On  inactiv- 
ity of,  199.  Indications  of  dis- 
eased, 204.  See  Health,  and 
Mental  excitement. 

Mineralogical  collections,  253. 

Modesty  in  children,  233. 


INDEX. 


Mo,  ey,  children's  earning,  164. 

Montagu,  Lady  Mary  Wortley, 
cited,  135. 

Monticello  Female  Seminary,  ac- 
count of,  54.  System  of  stud- 
ies there,  57  Effort  made 
there  to  cure  defects  of  char- 
acter and  habits,  58. 

Morals,  American,  29.  Depend- 
ence of  democracy  on,  36.  At- 
tention to,  in  the  Monticello 
Female  Seminary,  58.  In  chil- 
dren, 233.  See  Children,  and 
Young  children. 

Mortality,  among  infants,  112, 
114.  Causes  of  it,  214.  At 
the  Albany  Orphan  Asylum, 
222.  See  Infants. 

Mothers,  sufferings  of  American, 
42.  The  great  objects  for,  in 
educating  their  daughters,  48. 
Influence  of  wealthy,  50. 
Should  raise  the  science  of 
domestic  economy,  51.  Few, 
qualified  to  teach  domestic 
economy,  65.  Influence  of, 
149,  151.  Teaching  boys  do- 
mestic arts,  164.  See  American 
women,  and  Women. 

Moths,  323. 

Muscles,  74.  Exercise  of  the, 
76,  78,  97, 116, 129.  Excessive 
exercise  of,  132. 

Music,  58,  252. 

Muslins,  on  washing,  288.  Starch- 
ing, 292. 

Musquitoes,  323. 

N. 

Nails,  cleaning,  122,  144. 

Nankeens,  on  washing,  288. 

Napkins,  table,  307. 

Narcissus,  335. 

Nash,  Beau,  biography  of,  148. 

Neatness,  in  house-keeping,  152. 
Of  sick-rooms,  238.  See  Clean- 
liness. 

Needle- work,  bad  economy  in,189. 

Nerves,  76.  Ramifications  of  the, 
78.  Health  of,  dependent  on 
muscular  exercise,  78,  130. 
Function  of,  in  the  stomach, 
87.  Excited  by  stimulating 
drinks,  106,  111.  Two  kinds 
of,  129.  On  cutting  off,  130. 


Exercise  and  inactivity  of,  130 

Debility  of,  130,  199. 
New   Englanders,  one   cause  of 

their  tact,  165. 

Newton,  Sir  Isaac,  diet  of,  222. 
Night,  converting,  into  day,  123. 
Night-gowns,  114,  329. 
Night-lamps,  283. 
NoVel  reading,  199,  234,  249. 
Nursery,   discipline  of  the,  224 

230. 

Nursery,  soil  for  a,  347. 
Nursing,  on  food  while,  215.     Of 

the  sick,  237. 

O. 

Obedience  of  children,  226.     Set 

Children,  and  Government. 
Objects  of  charity,  176. 
Oil,  281.     Taking  out,  297. 
Oilcloths,  for  kitchens,  317. 
Opium,  absorbed  by  the  skin,' 93. 

Antidote  for,  242. 
Order,  on  a  habit  of,  157. 
Ornaments,  166.     Time  and  mon 

ey  spent  for,  175,  259. 
Orphan  Asylum  at  Albany,  222 
Ostrich  feathers,  washing,  299. 
Outhouses,  276. 
Over-o-overnment,  228,  229.     Sef 

Children,  and  Government. 

P. 

Packing,  of  trunks,  316.  Of  fur- 
niture  for  moving,  316. 

Pain,  amusements  causing,  244 

Paint-spots,  298. 

Pantaloons,  on  mending,  330. 

Parents,  exercising  of  authority 
by,  226.  Should  provide  amuse- 
ments, 250.  Joining  in  chil- 
dren's sports,  254. 

Parlors,  kitchens  and,  163,  259. 
Light  work  in,  to  save  time,  184. 
Inconsistently  furnished,  189. 
On  the  care  of,  302.  On  select- 
ing furniture  for,  302.  Sweep- 
ing, 305.  Screens  in,  353. 

Parties,  invitations  to,  353. 

Passions,  the,  170.     See  Temper. 

Peach  trees,  350. 

Perennial  plants,  339. 

Peristaltic  motion,  87,  96,  102. 

Perspiration,  92,  93.  Demand* 
supply  of  food,  96.  From  exer- 


INDEX. 


ose,  healthful,  114.  During 
sleep,  126.  On  inducing,  235, 
236. 

Physical  education,  see  Exercise, 
and  Health. 

Physicians,  obeying,  239. 

Piano,  playing  on  the,  252. 

Pictures,  302,  304. 

Pills,  236,  237,  note. 

Pitch,  on  removing,  297. 

Plans,  for  apportioning  time,  158, 
160.  For  duties,  162,  166, 167. 
For  saving  time,  184.  For  ex- 
penses, 186.  Of  houses,  261. 

Planting  flower  seeds,  332. 

°lants,  collecting,  253.  In  rooms 
with  stoves,  281.  Soil  for, 
331.  Propagation  of,  341.  See 
Flowers,  and  Seeds. 

r'oisoning,  241. 

^oliteness,  see  Courtesy,  and 
Manners. 

Poor,  Mosaic  laws  as  to  the,  182. 
On  work  for  the,  189,  190. 
Liberal  prices  and  prompt  pay- 
ment to  the,  191.  See  Charity. 

Pores,  closing  the,  119      See  Skin. 

Portico,  latticed,  277. 

Positions,  effects  of,  73,  80 

Potash-soap,  291. 

Pot-plants,  soil  for,  331. 

Pots,  transplanting  from,  333. 

Powders,  labelling,  239. 

Precocity  in  children,  198. 

Privies,  276. 

Propagation  of  plants,  341. 

Propensities,  170. 

Property,  Jews'  use  of,  182.  Un- 
equal distribution  of,  191.  On 
sharing,  191.  On  using,  prop- 
erly, 193. 

Pruning,  346. 

Pumps,  275. 

Punctuality,  and  want  of  it,  128. 
In  paying  the  poor,  191. 

Purchases,  on  making,  193,  194. 

Puritans,  manners  of  the,  137. 

Q. 

Quality  of  food,  98. 
Quantity  of  food,  see  F<t  >d. 

R. 

Ranunculus,  335. 
Rate,  323 


Red  ants,  323. 

Registrations  of  births,  113. 

Religion,  perversion  of,  198. 

Religious  excitement,  197. 

Respect,  American  want  of,  139, 
141.  Should  be  required  at 
home,  142.  See  Courtesy. 

Respiration,  organs  of,  87. 

Rewards,  governing  by,  230. 

Roman  Catholics,  health  of,  dur- 
ing Lent,  100. 

Romans,  see  Greeks. 

Rooms,  arrangement  of,  259. 

Running  into  debt,  232. 

S. 
St.  Martin,  Alexis,  experiments 

on,  respecting  food,  104. 
Salary,  plan  as  to  using,  186. 
Salt,  for  bleeding,  243. 
Salts,  236. 
School,  hints   on,  48,  223.     Too 

much    required    in,    49.      On 

keeping,  only  in  the  afternoon, 

49.     On   sending  young   chil- 
dren to,  223. 
Schoolrooms    and    schoolhouses, 

133.     Not  ventilated,  196,  223. 

Built  by  a  lady  in   the   West, 

202.     See  Female. 
Scolds,  149,  154. 
Scotch  Highlanders,  221. 
Screens,  in  parlors,  353.  See  Eyes. 
Secret  vice,  233. 
Sedgwick,   Miss,   her    Live   and 

Let  Live,  213,  note. 
Seeds,  on  planting,  332, 333.     Of 

fruit,  on  planting,  347. 
Self-denial,    happiness     of,    169. 

Distinction    as    to,    170.      Of 

wealthy  women,  201,  202.     In 

children,  224,  232. 
Servants,   on    calling    domestics, 

207.     See  Domestics. 
Services,  paying  children  for,  164 
Settees  for  ironing,  293. 
Setting  tables,   307.     Rules  for, 

308. 
Sewing,  by  girls,  254.     Hints  on, 

324. 

Sewing- trunks,  162. 
Sexes,  M.  De  Tocqueville  on  the, 

28.     Distinct  lines  of  action  for 

the,    28,    32,    33.      American 

equality  of,  33 


INDEX. 


Snade-trees,  275,  340. 

Shells,  collecting,  253. 

Shirts,  folding,  315.  Making, 
32S. 

Shrubs,  for  yards,  340. 

Sickness,  on  ignorance  and  inex- 
perience in  time  of,  68.  On 
nursing  in,  237.  From  chills 
and  food,  239.  Remedies  for 
slight,  240.  See  Health. 

Sick-rooms,  hints  on,  237.  Fur- 
niture for,  238. 

Silence,  children  to  keep,  145, 
230.  When  in  anger,  152. 

Silks,  on  cleansing,  298. 

Sinclair,  Sir  John,  on  longevity 
and  early  rising,  126. 

Sinks,  277,  317. 

Six  Weeks  on  the    Loire,  cited, 

,  135. 

Skeleton,  cut  of  the,  70. 

Skin,  described,  91.  Function  of 
the,  91.  Waste  matter  from 
the,  92,  118.  Regulates  the 
heat  of  the  body,  92.  Absorb- 
ent vessels  of  the,  93, 119.  Fol- 
licles of  the,  93.  The  organ 
of  touch,  93.  Circulation  in 
the,  in  infants,  113.  Effect 
of  cold  on  the  circulation  in 
the,  113, 118, 119.  Bathing  in- 
fants', 217. 

Sleep,  amount  of,  required,  125. 
On  protracting,  126.  In  close 
apartments,  196,  217,  311.  See 
Ventilation. 

Sliding  closets,  278. 

Smoky  chimneys,  352. 

Snow,  bathing  in,  121. 

Soap,  soda,  288.  Soft,  290.  Pot- 
ash, 291.  Hard,  291. 

Social  intercourse,  184. 

Soda-soap,  288. 

Soda-washing,  287. 

Soil,  on  the  preparation  of,  331. 
For  a  nursery,  347. 

Soups,  104,  105. 

South-Sea  Islanders,  221. 

Specimens,  collecting,  253. 

Spine,  frequency  of  the  disease 
of  the,  41 ,  causes,  73, 133.  Cut 
of  the,  77.  Curvature  of  the, 
80.  Difference  between  a  nat- 
ural and  distorted,  80. 

Spitting  on  carpets,  144. 


Spots,  removing,  28!),  297,  298 

Sprains,  240. 

Stain-mixture,  296. 

Stains,   removing,   from   cloth*- 
296;  from  marble,  305. 

Starch,  to  make,  291.  To  pw 
pare,  292. 

Starching,  hints  on,  292. 

Stimulating  drinks,  no  need  of, 
106,  109,  111.  Excite  the  ner- 
vous system,  106, 109,  111.  De- 
bilitate the  constitution,  107. 
Temptation  from  using,  107 
Five  forms  of  using,  107.  Rea 
sons  for  using,  considered,  107 
Dr.  Combe  on,  111.  If  good 
for  parents,  may  not  be  for  chil- 
dren, 111.  Compared  with  an- 
imal food,  112. 

Stimulating  food,  99.  Sec  Am 
mal  food,  and  Food 

Stock-grafting,  345. 

Stockings,  on  washing,  286,  289 

Stomach,  87.  Peristaltic  motion 
of  the,  87,  96,  102.  Effects  on, 
of  too  much  food,  94,  95.  Rule 
for  the  labor  and  repose  of  the, 
96.  Power  of  accommodation 
in  the,  102.  Wants  rest,  2^3 

Storerooms,  271,  322. 

Stoves,  281. 

Strangers,  hospitality  to,  257. 

Strawberries,  348. 

Straw  hats,  299. 

Straw  matting,  304.  311. 

Studies,  at  the  Monticello  Female 
Seminary,  57.  Pursued  at  ran 
dom,  60,  68. 

Subordination,  social,  26.  Fe- 
male, in  America,  27,  29,  32. 
Of  children  and  others,  140, 
224.  See  Government. 

Superfluities,  163.  Duty  as  to, 
171 — 173.  On  determining  re 
specting,  173. 

Sweeping,  134.  Of  carpets,  303. 
Of  parlors,  305. 

Sympathy,  on  silent  social,  149. 

System,  continual  change  and 
renovation  of  the  human,  91, 
In  housekeeping,  152.  On  hab- 
its of,  155.  By  dividing  the 
week,  162.  In -proper  conve 
niences,  162.  On  attempting 
too  much,  at  once,  166.  On 


INDEX. 


commencing,  while  young,  167. 
In  time,  184. 


Table,  furniture  for  a,  306.  On 
setting,  307;  rules  for,  308. 
Carving  and  helping  at,  310. 

Table  manners,  144. 

Table-mats,  306. 

Tapers,  283. 

Tar,  on  removing,  297. 

Tea,  coffee  and,  on  the  use  of, 
107,  108.  Cause  nervous  de- 
bility, 109.  Love  of,  not  nat- 
ural, 109.  If  good  for  adults, 
may  not  be  for  children,  109. 
Black,  least  injurious,  110.  No 
nourishment  in,  112.  See  Stim- 
ulating. 

Teachers,  202,  203. 

Teeth,  effects  of  hot  drink  on,  110. 
Care  of,  122,  144. 

Teething  of  infants,  219. 

Temper,  on  the  preservation  of 
good,  in  a  housekeeper,  148; 
hints  for  it,  150.  Making  al- 
lowances for,  in  others,  154. 
See  tassions. 

Temptations,  amusements  with, 
245,  248. 

Tendons,  75. 

Theatres,  245. 

Thinning  plants,  346. 

Thoughts,  on  pure,  233. 

Throat,  things  in  .the,  240. 

Thunderstorms,  243. 

Tic  douloureux,  78. 

Tight  dressing,  80,  90, 129.  Evils 
of,  116.  Rule  as  to,  117 

Time,  on  apportioning,  157,  160, 
181, 184.  On  saving,  161,  184. 
Errors  as  to  employing,  180. 
Devoted  by  Jews  to  religion, 
183. 

Tin  ware,  320. 

Tocqueville,  M.  De,  on  the  sexes 
in  America,  28.  On  progress 
in  nations  towards  democracy, 
34.  On  female  hardships  in 
the  West,  46.  On  aristocratic 
and  democratic  manners,  146. 

Tones  of  voice,  148.  On  govern- 
ing the,  152.  Governing  by 
angry,  230.  Effects  of  angry, 
on  children,  231. 


Towels,  321. 

Tracts  and  charity,  179. 

Transplanting,  333,  340. 

Travelling-bags,  316. 

Trees,    about    houses,   275.     On 

planting,  334.    Shade,  340.    Or 

transplanting,    340        Pruning 

and  thinning,  346. 
Trials,  see  Difficulties. 
Trunks,  sewing,  162.     In  cham 

bers,  313.     Packing  of,  316. 
Tuberous  roots,  335. 
Tulips,  336. 
Turpentine,  on  removing,  297 

U. 

Unbolted  flour,  105. 

V. 

Vegetable  food,  99,  100,  220,  221. 
See  Animal  food,  and  Food. 

Vegetables,  effect  of  light  and 
darkness  on,  124. 

Veils,  whitening,  293. 

Ventilation,  importance  of,  49, 
196,  217,  311.  Of  sleeping- 
rooms,  129, 196, 31] .  Of  school- 
rooms, 223.  Of  sick-rooms,  237. 
In  construction  of  houses,  261, 
264.  Where  stoves  are  used, 
281.  See  Air. 

Vermin,  on  destroying,  323 

Vertebrae,  72. 

Virtue,  see  Morals. 

Vulgar  habits,  144. 

W. 

Wadsworth's  cottage,  273,  274. 

Wages,  exorbitant,  of  domestics, 
205.  Offering  higher,  2J 1 

Waiting  at  table,  309. 

Walking  for  exercise,  131. 

Wardrobes,  312. 

Washing,  of  clothes  done  by  pu- 
pils, 55.  Of  the  body,  92,  93, 
119,121.  Of  children,  121, 122. 
Water  for,  284.  Articles  to  be 
provided  for,  284.  Common 
mode  of,  285.  Of  calicoes,  287. 
Soda- washing,  287.  Of  various 
articles,  288.  Of  carpets,  304. 
Of  dishes,  318.  See  Bathing. 

Wash-pans  for  children,  121. 

Waste  matter,  from  the  skin  92. 
118. 


[NDEX. 


Water,  protection  against,  in  the 
skin,  93.  On  drinlrng,  111. 
Drinking  too  much,  112.  Plun- 

S'ng  infants  in  cold,  113.  See 
rinks,  and  Stimulating. 

Wealthy  mothers,  influence  of 
their  example,  49. 

Wells,  remedy  for  air  in,  242. 
Remarks  on,  259,  275. 

West,  on  female  hardships  in 
the,  46. 

Wheat,  unbolted,  105. 

Whitening,  of  lace  veils,  293.  Of 
other  articles,  296. 

Whitewashing,  279. 

Wicks,  282. 

Winter,  air  and  sleep  in,  125. 

Women,  European  contempt  for, 
30.  American  esteem  for,  30. 
Influence  of,  on  individuals 
and  nations,  37.  Exercise  taken 
by  English,  45.  Responsible- 
ness  of,  52.  Eating  without 
being  hungry,  98.  Responsi- 
bility of,  as  to  intemperance, 
106.  Precedence  given  to,  in 
America,  141.  Importance  and 
difficulty  of  their  duties,  155. 
General  principles  for,  158; 
frequent  inversion  of  them,  160. 


Men  engaged  in  their  work, 
164,  165.  On  their  keeping 
accounts  of  expenditures,  173, 
174.  Imagining  themselves  do- 
mestics, 205.  See  American 
women. 

Wood,  for  fuel,  280. 

Wooden  ware,  321. 

Woodhouses,  273,  276,  277. 

Woollens,  on  washing,  289 

Workbaskets,  325. 

Y. 

Yellows,  the,  350. 

Young  children,  female  influence 
on  their  character,  37.  Misman- 
agement of,  43.  Management 
of,  42, 220.  Animal  food  for,  220. 
At  the  Albany  Orphan  Asylum, 
222.  Intellectual  and  moral 
training  of,  223.  Three  habits 
for,  224.  On  distancing,  226. 
On  appreciating  their  enjoy 
ments  and  pursuits,  227.  Keep- 
ing them  happy,  231.  On  rid 
iculing,  231 .  Modesty  and  pro- 
priety in,  233.  Impurity  of 
thought  in,  233. 

Young  Ladies'  Friend,  cited,  134 


=N 


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